TABLE OF CONTENTS
Policy Recommendations 1. Increase state funding for the child care sector to help build an infrastructure that will support providers to cover the true cost of providing high-quality care. 2. Implement a wage scale for the child care workforce to diminish teacher turnover and stabilize the sector. 3. Increase state and federal funding for the child care sector to serve more infants and toddlers and incentivize more child care providers to open, especially in child care deserts. 4. Increase state pre-k investments in Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs to expand access to more 3- and 4-year-olds. 5. D evelop a pay parity policy for pre-k teachers that reflects wages provided to teachers in the K-12 system with equivalent degrees and credentials. 6. R equire OCDEL to produce a report every three years that provides a clear picture of the early childhood workforce, using state- and county-level data, and include recommendations on how Pennsylvania can better support the early childhood profession. 7. E xpand the number of high-quality providers by increasing incentives within Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, Keystone STARS. 8. P rovide additional opportunities for professional development and career advancement. 9. C onduct an equity audit of Pennsylvania’s early care and education system to understand better changes needed to ensure equitable access for all children. 10. C ease market rate surveys and conduct cost estimation studies using an approved cost modeling tool to determine the true cost of care. The current methodology and payment mechanisms must change, including increasing the use of grants in child care.
Introduction................................................... 4
Early Care and Education Programming Overview. ....................................................... 5 High-Quality Child Care....................................5 Certified and Non-Certified Child Care Programs..................................................6 Child Care Works..............................................6 Child Care Funding...........................................7 High-Quality, Publicly Funded Pre-K..........8 Pre-K Counts and Head Start Providers...........8 Pre-K Funding...................................................9 Pennsylvania’s Child Care System: Access, Affordability, and Quality............10 A ccess to High-Quality Child Care is the First Step.........................................................10 Child Care Affordability....................................12 Cost of Quality Care........................................13 High-Quality Child Care Makes a Difference..17 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs: Access, Quality, and Workforce................20 Access to Pre-K Programs in Pennsylvania...20 High-Quality Pre-K Makes a Difference..........21 W orkforce is an Essential Factor in the Early Care and Education System...........................23 Conclusion. .................................................. 27 P olicy Recommendations to Strengthen Pennsylvania’s Early Care and Education System............................................................ 27
Acknowledgements. ................................... 28
References................................................... 28
2023 State of Early Care and Education
3
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker