BEAVER COUNTY TIMES: …Nearly 209,000 young children lack access to pre-kindergarten programs because their families either can’t find or can’t afford it, the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children found in its new report, “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-K in PA.” Less than 18 percent, or about 53,000 children, are enrolled in publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs statewide.
The report is part of a new push by a coalition of 10 nonprofit organizations to ensure every young Pennsylvanian has the opportunity to attend a strong preschool program. The coalition launched the “Pre-K for PA” campaign last month, in hopes of spurring lawmakers to devote more resources to early education as they develop the 2014-15 budget…
The advocates say that expanding public preschool programs will send children to kindergarten with more advanced math and language skills, reduce special education placements and grade repetition, and increase high school graduation rates and college enrollment. They highlight research that identifies long-term economic benefits of affordable preschool for all, including helping students achieve higher-earning potential and reducing the costs of crime and public assistance… (more)
