Day care workers said they jumped to host the special program, but several participants in Westmoreland County were left deep in debt when the state didn’t come through on the payments. One day care called Channel 4 Action News.
Many of the day cares borrowed money to get the program started in September -- which the state said it would reimburse them for. WTAE, however, found that more than 40 percent of the program's adopters were still waiting for their money, which was expected in early October.
"We've been promised several times that we'd be getting funds, and each time goes past and we don't get any funds," said Karen Janos, director of Tots and Tikes Inc.
For three months, Tots and Tikes Day Care in Youngwood has been offering free preschooling under the Pre-K Counts initiative put forward by Gov. Ed Rendell. The program pledged to allocate $75 million and currently helps teach 11,000 Pennsylvania children.
Janos said the state owes her about $80,000. She said the money left her in financial trouble and forced her to borrow money to meet her payroll.
"We are struggling to stay open. We might make it through the end of the month," said Janos. After that, she said, the day care center will likely be forced to close.
A spokesman for the state Department of Education said he did not know why specific centers have not been paid, but added that all day cares must undergo a thorough review to ensure the money is properly used.
The spokesman added that delays are often caused by incorrect filing of paperwork.
Janos said that there is no reason to be kept waiting so long.
"I have met every requirement. I've met every requirement they asked us to," said Janos.
For the time being, some parents who say they adore the program offered to pay for it.