PA’s Promise for Children Outreach

Helping children reach their promise

If every child is Pennsylvania’s future, Pennsylvania needs to help every child reach his/her promise. Pennsylvania supports quality early learning by certifying the health and safety of child care programs, setting the foundation of quality early learning through the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, and supporting quality early learning programs through Head Start Supplemental Assistance, Early Intervention, Keystone STARS and the Accountability Block Grants. Click on the links below to learn more about individual programs.

• Pennsylvania’s Certification Services Bureau certifies and inspects family and group child care homes as well as all child care centers in Pennsylvania to make sure that they meet basic health & safety standards.
• For parents of children ages birth to five with special needs, Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention (birth-3 | ages 3-5) program provides individualized support and assistance for both child and family.
• Pennsylvania's CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) makes it possible for every child in Pennsylvania, regardless of their family's income, to receive health care.
• Pennsylvania's Early Learning Standards for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten (and soon infants and toddlers) outline academic, social, and physical skills that a child should develop throughout the course of the year and provide guidance for activities to support this development in the classroom and at home.
• Head Start provides comprehensive early learning services to children and families who are most at risk of academic failure.
• Keystone STARS/ Early Learning Keys to Quality supports child care and Head Start programs that are committed to continuous quality improvement and offers families a valuable tool to gauge quality in early learning programs. Programs may enter Keystone STARS at the Start with STARS level and earn a STAR 1 through STAR 4 rating based on research-based standards for staff education and professional development, early learning environment, and business management. Child care programs receive professional development, technical assistance and, when eligible, targeted financial supports to continue to improve the quality of the early learning they provide. As of December 2006, nearly 4,300 child care programs are enrolled in Keystone STARS.
• Quality pre-kindergarten prepares children for reading and math, but also for paying attention, following directions, and getting along with others. Pre-kindergarten gives children a chance to learn, become excited about school and be better students. Through the Accountability Block Grants, more than 4,000 of Pennsylvania’s 3 and 4 year olds participate in pre-kindergarten programs. Governor Rendell’s proposed investment of $75 million in Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, as a new component of the Accountability Block Grant, will provide funding for more than 11,000 of our 3- and 4-year olds to attend quality half- and full-day pre-kindergarten in schools, Head Start, child care centers and nursery schools in the 2007-2008 school year.
• Full-Day Kindergarten has been recognized as an effective way to prepare children for school, both academically and socially. Full-day kindergarten offers teachers the necessary time to build both pre-academic and social skills in children that a half-day program cannot offer. Through the Accountability Block Grants, approximately 55% of Pennsylvania’s five year olds participate in full-day kindergarten.

Helping families reach their promise

In order for children to thrive, they need a stable family and home life. Pennsylvania supports families so they can help their children develop and choose quality early learning opportunities for their children as they work, live and handle life’s challenges. Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works Subsidy program makes it possible for low-income parents to work and provide for their families through child care assistance. Pennsylvania’s Child Care Information Services (CCIS) agencies give parents a wealth of resources on how to find the best care for their child.

• The Nurse Family Partnership gives first time mothers the supports necessary to provide an excellent start for their children. Registered nurses work with the expectant mothers to ensure a healthy pregnancy, to engage in activities with the baby that will promote healthy development, and to make plans for the future.
• Through Pennsylvania’s Parent Child Home Program, a home visitor helps parents learn how to read to and play with their children in a way in a way that strengthens verbal interaction and language development, builds a positive parent-child bond and provides a quality learning experience.
• Pennsylvania’s Children’s Trust Fund is teaching parents and early childhood teachers ways to strengthen families and build protective factors in an effort to prevent child abuse and neglect before it begins.
• Keystone STARS program also makes it possible for parents the gauge the quality learning environment of an early childhood program on a scale of STAR 1 to 4, so the parent can make smart choices about child care.
• A key component of Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards is helping parents optimize their child’s learning, connecting parents with community services, helping parents transition their children to school, and helping to guide the work of the early learning program.
• An important aspect of Head Start and Keystone STARS early childhood programs is supporting parent involvement in their child’s learning experience. Head Start and some child care teachers visit the home to discuss the child’s needs with the parents and provide support to the family.

Helping teachers reach their promise

Early childhood teachers are so important to a child’s development. They become one of the trusted adults in a young child’s life. Studies have shown that the education and experience of the teacher is a crucial factor to the quality of the child’s learning experience. Thousands of early childhood teachers have made the commitment to increase their education and professional development so that they can better foster quality early learning in our young children.

• Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Keys to Quality system and the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood PA Scholarship program are making it possible for our child care teachers to increase their education while providing a better education to our young children. Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality has also developed a Career Lattice for all professionals in the early learning field to use as a guide in their professional development and to map their career goals.
• The Keystone STARS program provides research-based standards for teacher qualifications and professional development as well as supports to help teachers meet those standards.
• The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has expanded eligibility for loan forgiveness for teachers in early childhood programs.
• The State Board of Education updated its regulations in 2006 addressing pre-kindergarten to require all lead teachers in pre-kindergarten classrooms to have teacher certification in early childhood education by 2011.
• The State Board of Education is also working to redesign Early Childhood Education teacher certification to better prepare our early childhood teachers with the techniques that stimulate learning in our young children.

Helping communities reach their promise

Quality early learning for our children today prepares them for high quality jobs tomorrow. A high quality workforce empowers Pennsylvania to compete nationally and globally, improving the quality of life for all. Communities need to join the efforts of the families, teachers, and organizations in their communities to make quality early learning a reality for every child.

• Early Childhood Community Engagement Groups are established in each county to convene everyone interested in quality early learning to assess what quality early learning is currently available in your community and develop ways to encourage quality early learning. For example, community engagement groups work with child care programs to help them participate in Keystone STARS and move up the quality ladder. They also work with school districts and community-based early learning programs (child care, Head Start, nursery school, Early Intervention) to develop ways to make a child’s transition from preschool to kindergarten a smooth one for child, parents and teachers. Many community engagement groups sponsor parent fairs and parent events to talk about quality early learning in your community.
• Each partnership site for the Pre K Counts Public Private Partnership for Educational Success facilitates local pre-kindergarten partnerships among school district, Head Start, child care and early intervention programs and engages community, education and business leaders to support quality pre-kindergarten in their communities.