Laurel Highlands Today

The Early Childhood Education Caucus recently held a rally in Harrisburg to address the critical issue of the teacher shortage in early learning programs in Pennsylvania. The event, attended by child care and pre-K students, teachers, parents, and advocates, aimed to bring attention to the challenges facing the state's early learning sector.

Sen. Judy Schwank emphasized the need for change in the state's approach to child care, stating, “We all understand that the state of child care in Pennsylvania needs to change.” She highlighted issues such as low pay for childhood educators and high prices for parents that need to be addressed at the state level.

Sen. Pat Stefano, one of the caucus co-chairs, stressed the importance of prioritizing funding to attract and retain early learning workforce, stating, “We must work together to prioritize funding to help the early learning sector attract and retain its workforce.”

Dr. Leah Spangler, CEO of The Learning Lamp Early Learning Centers, described the dire situation in child care in Pennsylvania, with a significant number of job openings and children on waiting lists. She emphasized the need for better pay to attract more staff and serve more children.

Tim Fallon, CEO emeritus of Lehigh Valley Public Media, highlighted the impact of child care on Pennsylvania's workforce, stating that 80% of employers in the state face recruitment and retention challenges due to child care issues.

Rep. Pat Harkins acknowledged the broken business model of child care and early learning and praised the budget proposals to increase child care subsidies as a crucial step forward. He emphasized the importance of addressing the teacher shortage in the child care sector.

The event, organized in collaboration with Start Strong PA, Pre-K for PA, and the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, aimed to advocate for further investment in early childhood education in the state. The caucus is focused on supporting the early childhood education workforce to meet the demand for child care and pre-K services for working families.

The rally shed light on the pressing need for more pre-K teachers and child care workers in Pennsylvania, urging policymakers to take action to address the teacher shortage and ensure a stable and accessible early learning environment for children across the commonwealth.