Dear early care and education supporters:
Yesterday Gov. Shapiro delivered his first budget address, outlining his spending plan for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The Governor’s proposal includes a $66.7 million state investment in Child Care Works through the Child Care Services line item, which will merely maintain a child care system already in crisis. The funding will allow 75,000 low-income working families to continue accessing subsidized child care and will sustain Child Care Works reimbursement rates to meet or exceed the 60th percentile of the market rate. This continues the status quo that has been in place since January 2022, when rates were increased to the 60th percentile of the market rate using one-time federal relief funds. The Start Strong PA survey data shows that waiting lists for child care programs have increased since reimbursement rates were boosted to this level. In addition, the Child Care Assistance line item was essentially level-funded.
Unfortunately, this means there is no proposed investment to address the heart of the child care crisis – the teacher and staff shortage due to low pay. Each and every day, child care teachers and staff support children’s healthy development and learning and parents’ ability to work, which supports our communities and economy. We are standing with our advocacy partners to call on the Pennsylvania House and Senate to build on what was proposed by Gov. Shapiro. We must do more than maintain a system in crisis and need to prioritize investments to address the teacher/staff shortage in the 2023-24 state budget.
On a more positive note, we are pleased to share that Gov. Shapiro’s proposal begins to address the growing shortage of Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program teachers by investing $33 million in state funds to increase cost per child reimbursement rates. This funding increase is intended to further support providers in combating rising inflation and address increasing staffing shortages. Increasing rates for providers will more accurately account for the cost of care. Since 48 percent of the children served in Pre-K Counts are located in a high-quality child care center, classroom closures and teacher shortages resulting from low wages found in the child care sector also impact pre-k availability. Although the Governor noted the importance of increased investments in Pre-K Counts to give Pennsylvania children a “ladder up,” this budget proposal does not provide any resources to expand high-quality, publicly-funded pre-k opportunities to more of the 100,000 Pennsylvania children ages 3-4 years old that are eligible but not served. Increased investments to continue to expand access are needed.
In other areas of the early care and education budget, evidence-based home visiting funding was maintained in the Governor’s budget proposal, following last year’s historic budget increase. A needed investment was proposed for Early Intervention services, $10.4 million for Early Intervention Part B (age three to five) program and $20 million increase for Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers) program. This proposed increase will further ensure all children birth through age five with developmental delays are identified, referred to and accepted for the services they need to reach their fullest potential.
See below for a complete update on the early care and education budget proposal from our Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Kimberly Early, and check out this press release that was issued yesterday from the Early Learning PA coalition to respond to the proposal.
Stay tuned for opportunities to advocate with us and our partners! This is just the beginning of the process. We will not give up – we will keep fighting, together!
As always, thank you for persevering and for your tireless work for children and families,
Jen, Kim and the PennAEYC Team
