A solid child care program not only gives children a head-start on their education, it also makes it possible for many families to have two or more means of income.
The state budget is now three months overdue and many child care providers are finding themselves cutting staff positions or even closing doors. Many families may face losing their subsidy if the cuts in Senate Bill 850 are passed, which means they will be without child-care. Several thousand families are at risk, not only of being forced to give up their jobs to be with their children, but of having their children miss out on vital educational opportunities which will prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.
Child-care providers, teachers, parents, and program administers gathered Thursday at the Punxsutawney Area High School for a rally which will put pressure on area legislators and Gov. Edward Rendell to pass the budget without cutting child care.
Rendell had been invited to the rally, but was unable to attend. Linda Smith of the Playhouse Children's Center read a letter he had sent in his absence.
"It is a pleasure to welcome everyone who came out tonight to show their support for a speedy resolution to this year's prolonged budget impasse," Smith read. "I (Rendell) know this has caused tremendous hardship for so many hardworking Pennsylvanians and children who rely on the services our state government provides. Nowhere has the impasse been felt more dramatically than among the many dedicated individuals who provide early care and education services and rely on state subsidies to keep their businesses running. Many have had to lay-off staff and some have even been forced to shut their doors completely.
"I understand your frustration with everyone in Harrisburg right now, including me. But what I want you to know is that despite my having blue-lined funding for your services in the bridge budget, I am one of your biggest advocates in Harrisburg. If I had approved the funding levels presented in Senate Bill 850, it would have caused nearly 8,000 children to lose their child care subsidy and join the 16,000 children already on the waiting list. As a result, Pennsylvania would then have to forfeit $60 million in federal stimulus money.
"I support a budget that will provide child care services for more than 135,000 Pennsylvania children, and I am in my office in Harrisburg every day, ready and willing to come to an agreement with legislators. I firmly believe that investment in early care is an investment in our economy and I will not support any budget plan that would cut essential services that significantly impact long-term economic growth. The child care sector has the highest multiplier effect for public investment of any sector in Pennsylvania. For every public dollar we invest in child care facilities, more than two dollars is circulated into the economy through jobs, goods, and services.
"I continue calling on our legislators to demonstrate the political courage to put the next generation before the next election. I know you feel, as I do, that the services you provide are too important to be short-changed, especially during difficult economic times. Thank you for making your voices heard and advocating for the future of Pennsylvania."
Some of the programs facing cuts include Child Care Works, Headstart Supplemental, Pre-K Counts and Keystone STARS.
First to speak Thursday was Jodi Askins, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children. Askins said her organization was dedicated to making the Legislature know how important child care providers are. She said it was important for child care providers to put a face with their cause.
"Your stories matter," Askins said. "I can go and give them the numbers but it's the individual stories that really make a difference."
She said what Rendell had blue-lined in the budget would not have worked.
"Going to your children and saying 'you can stay, you have to go, you can stay' is almost as difficult as closing your doors all together," Askins said. She encouraged everyone in attendance to continue to speak out and keep pressure on area legislators in all counties not to cut child care.
Next to speak was Lisa Weyand, a mentor for the Keystone STARS program. She said Keystone STARS was started in 2002 when it became apparent there was a decline in the quality of child care. She said now more than 50 percent of child care providers in the state participate in Keystone STARS. The program is a continuous quality improvement program and rating system for early learning and school-age programs in the state. The child care programs which participate in Keystone STARS earn different rating levels from a STAR 1 through a STAR 4. At each level, programs must meet certain quality standards. The higher the STAR level, the higher the standards. Levels are earned through staff education, learning environment, leadership and management and family and community partnerships.
Weyand said the staff will continue to work as long as they can but without a budget, the child care providers enrolled in the program can not sign up for the fall courses.
Kindergarten teacher Erica Wisnesky said the curriculum for a kindergarten student is very different from what it was 10 years ago. She said a lot more is expected academically from the students besides knowing their numbers and colors. She said by the second month of kindergarten, the children should be able to read small words.
"It's a lot more than learning to sit on the carpet. They are expected to do work that 10 years ago was considered first-grade level," Wisnesky said. She said the early education child care programs are vital when it comes to preparing students for the type of work they will need to perform.