PHSA is proud to be a founding member of Early Learning PA (ELPA), a statewide, non-partisan campaign supported by a broad-based coalition from around the commonwealth committed to advocating for a comprehensive early childhood system that ensures that Pennsylvania’s children, particularly its most vulnerable, have access to the education and support they need to enter school ready to learn.

Vision

The Early Learning PA campaign is guided by this vision: By 2020, all Pennsylvania children will have access to high-quality early learning opportunities to do their best – now and in the future.

Campaign Agenda

The Early Learning PA campaign advocates for a comprehensive system encompassing the full range of early learning programs based on the following public policy agenda:
1. Meeting the comprehensive needs of at-risk infants and toddlers by providing adequate funding for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting for parents and their young children.

2. Improving access to high-quality child care through financial incentives for infant and toddler care; higher reimbursement for high-quality Keystone STAR 3 and 4 providers serving at-risk children; reducing the child care subsidy waiting time for low-income, working families; moving child care provider subsidies toward the market rate; requiring certification and at minimum annual inspections for all family child care providers; and maintaining service without delay for special populations of low-income families.

3. Ensuring that every Pennsylvania 3- and 4-year-old has access to voluntary, high-quality pre-k, with public funding in place to ensure access to pre-k is affordable for every family.

4. Making good on the state’s promise to guarantee all children birth through five with developmental delays or disabilities are identified and have the supports they need.

5. Improving the quality of the early childhood workforce by increasing access to credential based professional development and compensating commensurate with credentials.

6. Encouraging and supporting all state funded early learning programs to utilize efficient business practices, such as shared services models.

Early Learning PA is closely aligned and coordinated with the Pre-K for PA Campaign, which is focused on ensuring every Pennsylvania 3- and 4-year-old has access to voluntary, high-quality pre-k – a goal integral to Early Learning PA’s success.

Partners

To find out more about Early Learning PA and how you can help, visit the ELPA website atwww.earlylearningpa.org.