November 24, 2025 Shapiro Discusses State’s New Child Care Worker Recruitment and Retention Bonuses Gov. Josh Shapiro and Val Arkoosh, secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services, highlighted the state’s new recruitment and retention bonuses for child care workers during an event in Bristol. Learn More Shapiro dropped by the Children of God Educational Services to discuss the new $25 million Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program that aims to address the state’s child care workforce shortage. The program was part of the state’s recently passed budget. During his discussion of the budget, Shapiro noted that items passed in it would: Create an employer child care contribution tax credit that encourages businesses to make contributions to their employees’ child care and be able to write it off Add a new $25 million child care line item in the budget that is earmarked for recruitment and retention bonuses for child care workers at licensed child care facilities. As a result, 55,000 child care workers would get a bonus of up to $450. “We’re making it more affordable by putting over $130 million back in people’s pockets who are trying to afford child care and making it more available for families by opening up more slots by hiring more teachers,” Shapiro said. “We need to invest in the well-being of our children. We need to invest in economic opportunity. This budget does all of that.” To listen to Shapiro speak about the budget and the new child care recruitment and retention line item, watch this video on YouTube.
November 20, 2025 PA Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women Hosts Discussion on Child Care Crisis The Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women hosted a virtual discussion earlier this week between business and government leaders and child care advocates about the state’s child care crisis. Learn More The discussion – which took place on Monday – focused on the ongoing child care crisis, which has forced many parents to leave the workforce due to the lack of access to affordable child care. “Ensuring affordable, high-quality child care depends on bold, ongoing investment in the educators who power our commonwealth,” said Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director. “Early educators are the workforce behind every thriving community. By continuing to invest in them, Pennsylvania can strengthen its economy, support families, and build a child care system that positions our state for long-term prosperity.” The topics focused on during the discussion – which included Trying Together and various other organizations – will inform the commission’s future recommendations to the Shapiro Administration. Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed the state budget, which secured the following investments in child care: $25 million for a new Child Care Staff Retention and Recruitment Program, providing about $450 per employee annually to licensed Child Care Works providers A $7.5 million increase in Pre-K Counts rates, enabling providers to raise wages and stabilize the early educator workforce Continued support for the Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit, which encourages businesses to help employees cover child care costs, and the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit for working families A $10 million increase for Early Intervention to provide coaching support and services to families and children with developmental delays and disabilities “Child care and the early learning professionals who make this work possible play an important role in supporting child development and fueling our economy,” said Shante Brown, deputy secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). “Our child care workforce makes it possible for parents to go to work knowing their children are learning and growing in an enriching, caring environment.”
September 9, 2025 Trying Together’s Director of Public Policy Discusses Early Childhood Education Crisis on PCN Capitol Preview Trying Together’s director of public policy appeared this week on The PCN Capitol Preview to discuss Pennsylvania’s ongoing early childhood education staffing and funding crisis. Learn More Emily Neff, Trying Together’s director of public policy, appeared on the program on Tuesday, Sept. 8 to discuss what Trying Together does to support early childhood development as well as the state’s teacher shortage and budget impasse. “We are in a crisis,” Neff said. “The system is not working for everyone. Early childhood educators are woefully underpaid for the amazing work they do for our children. Families are paying as much for their rent or mortgage as they do for child care – and that’s if they can find it.” Neff said many parents – including herself – are on long waiting lists to get their children into a program. Often, she added, programs have classrooms that are closed that could serve more children, but cannot due to the state’s staffing crisis. She said that one program she knows of recently closed its toddler class, while another said it would shut down if it lost another teacher. Neff cited Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed $55 million child care teacher recruitment and retention line item as an opportunity to address the state’s early education crisis. “It’s a great opportunity for Pennsylvania to put itself on the map,” she said. “It would be a $1,000 payment to teachers, but we don’t know what’s going to happen with that right now.” She said that the state’s budget impasse – during which the state Legislature has not passed a budget more than two months past the deadline, resulting public schools not receiving state funding that educators say is critical to keep them operating – has led some programs to lay off teachers, while parents have been left to find care elsewhere. “We need more investments to make sure that programs have what they need, teachers are being paid better, and families have access – and it’s not costing families more than what they’ve already been paying,” Neff said. The PCN Capitol Preview is available on YouTube.
August 7, 2025 PA Chamber of Commerce Leaders, Teachers, and Parents Discuss Teacher Shortage Pennsylvania chamber of commerce leaders, child care teachers, and parents gathered on Zoom Wednesday to discuss how the ongoing state child care teacher shortage is forcing classrooms to close and leaving working families scrambling to find child care. During the event, participants said that the teacher shortage – driven by unlivable wages – is limiting care options for working parents and called on state lawmakers to address the shortage. Learn More Participants urged state lawmakers to prioritize child care in the 2025-26 state budget by including Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to invest $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to boost the pay of the state’s child care teachers by $1,000. “As chamber leaders, we know that child care isn’t just a family issue – it’s an economic issue,” said Ron Aldom, executive director of the Somerset County Chamber. “This is why more than 70 of Pennsylvania’s local chambers of commerce are urging the General Assembly to invest in our child care teachers. When parents can’t find reliable, affordable care, they can’t work. When child care providers struggle to recruit and retain staff, classrooms close and employers lose valuable employees.” Albom cited the results of a statewide PA Chamber survey of employers on the impact of limited child care options on Pennsylvania businesses. The survey found that: A total 81% of employers said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care challenges. A total 69% of businesses indicated that it is extremely or very important to help their employees meet their child care needs. According to the survey, he said, a total of 60% of parents reported being late for work because of child care problems, while 27% had to quit jobs and 18% were fired. Aldom also cited economic analysis from the nonprofit ReadyNation and the PA Early Learning Investment Commission that showed gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system costing working families, employers, and taxpayers $6.65 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue. Briana Tomack, president and CEO of the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce said that Pennsylvania has lost 460 of its child care providers since 2019. “In Southwest PA specifically, the numbers are at critical levels,” she said. “Fayette County has lost over 30% of its providers, Greene over 25% of their providers, and Westmoreland has lost over 11%. Imagine trying to keep a job, run a business, or even put food on the table when child care is out of reach – not for weeks, but for years.” A September survey conducted by the Start Strong PA Campaign of 1,140 state child care providers showed that 92% of child care programs reported challenges in recruiting staff, with 85% struggling with teacher shortages that are leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide. Programs could serve an additional 25,320 children if they could recruit and retain the necessary staff, and these numbers represent less than 18% of the total open registered programs in Pennsylvania. “Right now, we serve 120 children,” said Brie Rice, program specialist at Irwin’s JB’s Bright Beginnings. “But here’s the heartbreaking reality: We’re licensed for 350.” Amy Bradley, president and CEO of the Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce, said that in a September survey, 100% of the 23 providers that responded in Cambria County said they face challenges recruiting the staff they need, resulting in 64 unfilled staff positions and 748 child care spaces unavailable for working families. Dr. Leah Spangler, CEO of Johnstown’s The Learning Lamp, said there are 48 unfilled child care educator jobs in Somerset, Cambria, and Fayette counties. If fully staffed, a total of 297 more children could be served. “I wear two hats that feel impossible to balance most days,” said Sara Sisler, parent and director of curriculum, environment, and development at Judy Early Education Group. “I’m not only a parent of two young children who rely on child care, but I’m also an early educator in the field. I have witnessed the recruitment and retention challenges firsthand, as the turnover rates in our centers are at an all-time high.” Stephanie McAdoo, director of Indiana County’s Indi Kids said it is challenging to fill open child care positions because “teachers make less than cashiers at Sheetz or Target.” And Dan DeBone, president and CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber, noted that polling data has shown that Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support increased funding to grow early childhood care and education programs. A Susquehanna poll found that Pennsylvania voters believe that early childhood education is an important component of a child leading a healthy and productive life (98%), support increasing state funding for teacher recruitment and retention (83%), and back more funding to increase pre-k teacher compensation (72%). The discussion between the county leaders, educators, and parents can be viewed online.
July 15, 2025 Trying Together Joins ELPA in Praising Passage of House Bill That Includes Early Care and Learning Workforce Investments The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA) applauded the Pennsylvania House’s bipartisan passage of House Bill 1330 that includes Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed investments in the early care and learning workforce. Learn More ELPA, a statewide coalition of advocates of which Trying Together is a member that focuses on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age 5, issued a statement following the passage of the bill on Monday. “The governor and Pennsylvania House of Representatives responded to the pleas of Pennsylvanians to prioritize early care and learning by investing in early childhood educators and ensuring that their critical work of caring for and educating young children is valued,” the statement read. “These educators are the workforce behind the workforce in Pennsylvania, and their work matters to children, families, businesses, and Pennsylvania’s economic security.” House Bill 1330 includes the following investments above Fiscal Year 2024-25 appropriations: A $55 million investment in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program with $1,000 per educator $17 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts A $16.2 million increase for infant/toddler early intervention and a $38.1 million increase for preschool early intervention ELPA noted that the House’s passage of the bill is a positive step toward a final budget agreement and that this demonstrates that state lawmakers stand with families with young children on early childhood line items. The coalition’s partners also encouraged the state Senate to support the investments and ensure that $9.5 million is provided for Pennsylvania’s Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget. “These urgently needed investments will stabilize and reverse the exodus of early educators, directly benefit tens of thousands of early childhood professionals and keep child care centers open, so parents can go to work,” the ELPA’s statement read. “Additionally, these investments will begin to reverse the billions of dollars in lost productivity and earnings suffered by working families and employers when families do not have the reliable child care they need.” Take Action The PA House took the next step in funding early learning programs, but the budget process is far from over. PA Senators need to hear from you immediately. Take action by visiting https://tryingtogether.org/advocacy/current-issue/
June 9, 2025 State Survey Asks Women About Experiences Accessing Healthcare Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Women is asking for women to take part in a survey on their healthcare needs in the state. Learn More The survey aims to learn about Pennsylvania women’s real-life experiences of accessing healthcare in the state. Among the questions in the survey are: Do you know what services are available and covered by your health insurance? What stops you from seeking care? What barriers or issues have you run into when trying to get women’s health services? The survey takes about 10 minutes or less and responses are anonymous. The survey focuses on such topics as health screenings, birth control, pregnancy care, and mental health services. The survey will remain open until July 7. It is available in English and Spanish.
June 6, 2025 Allegheny County Leaders Hold Roundtable to Address Child Care Teacher Staffing Crisis Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato joined Trying Together, the Allegheny Conference, state legislators, and child care providers Thursday for a roundtable to discuss new state and local survey data showing how a worsening child care teacher shortage – driven by low wages – is closing child care classrooms and causing parents to struggle to find the care they need to be able to work. Learn More During the roundtable at Providence Connections, results from a September Start Strong PA survey were shared to demonstrate how the staffing crisis is affecting programs in Allegheny County and across the state. “Of the 118 providers that participated in the survey, 89% reported staffing shortages,” Innamorato said of the Allegheny County providers. “Those programs have 373 unfilled teaching positions, and if those positions were filled, they could serve an additional 3,000 children.” A total of 1,140 Pennsylvania child care providers took the survey, of which 92% reported difficulties in recruiting staff and 85% said they struggled with teacher shortages. The shortages, which are leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide, could serve an additional 25,320 children if programs could recruit and retain the staff they need. The numbers represent only 17% of the total open registered programs in the state. Leslie White, director of early childhood and youth programs for Providence Connections, said low wages are preventing programs from finding qualified early childhood educators. “They are doing some of the most important work in our society – nurturing the next generation. But the reality is that many teachers can find other jobs that require far less specialized skills and pay more an hour, often with benefits,” she said. “I’ve been doing this work for nearly 40 years and fighting for better pay. The time is now to invest in the child care teaching workforce.” During the event, Matt Brown, an early educator at Providence and participant in the Your Career, Our Future campaign, shared his passion for teaching young children and why more qualified educators matter for the field. The initiative shares the experiences of current early educators and the families they serve in the hopes that more people will answer the call to become early educators. Speakers said the foundational role child care plays is a critical part of the state’s economy and the bipartisan support that it has garnered to date. “The report shows this is not just an inconvenience for working parents – this is a major economic issue that affects every business, every community, and every family in Pennsylvania,” Trying Together Public Policy Director Emily Neff said. “It is no surprise that this impact is understood by Pennsylvanians and, as such, they want lawmakers to prioritize early learning in the budget.” Majestic Lane, chief opportunity officer for the Allegheny Conference, noted that the staffing crisis is a detriment to the economy, citing a recent economic analysis conducted by the Conference citing child care as one of the top barriers for employment in the region. “Child care is vital to the future of our economy and the quality of life in our region,” Lane said. “When families don’t have the resources they need and their ability to work is severely diminished, it has a measurable economic impact on our communities and our commonwealth.” At the press conference, participants encouraged state lawmakers to prioritize early learning in the 2025-26 budget by including Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to invest $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care and Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program an additional $1,000 per educator. “We’ve heard the problem, we’ve heard the solution, and we know the cost of inaction,” Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo said. “To grow our economy and support working families, we must invest in child care.” State Reps. Lindsay Powell (D-21st District) and La’Tasha Mayes (D-24th District) and representatives from other state legislators attended the press conference and expressed their support for the investment in the child care workforce.
May 15, 2025 Early Childhood Educators Share the Day-to-Day Realities of Working in Child Care Programs Pennsylvania early childhood educators joined Trying Together and partner organizations on May 13 in Harrisburg to advocate for investments in workforce recruitment and retention and share at a press conference a recently released photovoice story map that highlights the joys and challenges of working in the early childhood field. A Day in the Life The photovoice story map, titled “A Day in the Life,” shares a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of working in child care programs. During the event, participants used these stories to call attention to widespread challenges in the field and urged further investments in the state’s early childhood education system. Brie Rice and Aydan Roney met with state Rep. Eric Nelson. Brie Rice, of JB’s Bright Beginnings in North Huntingdon, discussed the often-overlooked dedication of early childhood educators who spend significant time outside of work hours and their own money to keep young learners engaged. “Let us draw you a picture of what happens in early education – gifted early childhood educators are making the heartbreaking decision to leave their passion behind in the classroom for higher-paying jobs in other sectors,” she said. “To raise wages, we would need to increase tuition. Parents can’t afford to pay more, and teachers can’t afford to make less. Without public investment in the workforce, the broken child care system is going to collapse.” State Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-38th District) said that the state should support educators by investing more in the early childhood education system. “Early childhood educators are the cornerstone of a family and child’s quality experience in a child care program, offering safe, nurturing, and responsive environments where children grow, learn, and thrive,” Williams said. “However, talented early educators are leaving the field due to abysmal pay and families’ access to quality child care is directly impacted. By investing funding proposed by Gov. (Josh) Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget in recruitment and retention bonuses for licensed child care providers, child care programs will be able to provide competitive wages to caregivers.” According to a March 2024 report from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the average child care teacher in Pennsylvania earns $15.15 per hour, less than $32,000 annually. Shapiro has proposed a $55 million investment in child care recruitment and retention. Data from a September 2024 Start Strong PA survey of 1,140 child care providers showed more than 3,000 open positions. If those positions were filled, an estimated 25,320 more children could be served. In partnership with the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns, Trying Together was joined by fellow campaign partners First Up, PennAEYC, Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA), and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids/Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. Alongside early childhood educators from across the state, they met with more than 30 state legislators to advocate for increased investments in early care and education. During their visits in Harrisburg, they urged the General Assembly to: Support the proposed investment of $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program an additional $1,000 per educator To more fully address the child care staffing crisis and its impact on working families, businesses, and the economy, consider an investment above the proposed $55 million “Classrooms are empty, centers are closing, teachers are fleeing, families are being stranded without care, and children are being left without educational resources,” said Hayley Butler, an educator at Crafton Children’s Center in Allegheny County. “Recruitment and retention desperately need to be taken seriously because when a teacher leaves, a domino effect occurs. A teacher leaving can result in a family losing access to quality care options. While we know that there are many industries in need of support, our sector is the workforce behind the workforce, and we will not solve the labor issues without investing directly in our early education professionals.” To better understand what is taking place in the early childhood education sector, view Trying Together’s “A Day in the Life” photovoice storytelling project. Ready to take action? Sign the petition urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to invest, at minimum, the governor’s proposed $55 million in new and recurring state funding to implement a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative to fix our child care staffing crisis.
November 25, 2024 Start Strong PA Urges Advocates to Add Their Name to Child Care Staffing Crisis Petition Start Strong PA is calling on Pennsylvania residents to add their names to a petition that calls on the state to take action regarding its ongoing child care staffing crisis. Currently, a total of 3,100 people have signed the petition. Start Strong PA is aiming to get 3,500 signatures before the petition closes on Friday, Nov. 29. Learn More As Gov. Josh Shapiro and state legislators begin to consider funding for the 2025-26 state budget, Start Strong PA is urging the governor’s administration to invest $284 million in new and recurring state funding for early child care. The organization is calling for funding to implement a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative to fix the state’s child care staffing crisis. Pennsylvania currently has tens of thousands of parents struggling to find the care they need to work and support their families. As more child care classrooms close due to a lack of staffing, the number of families without reliable child care will increase. Start Strong PA argues that the crisis can be fixed by addressing the industry’s unlivable wages. Child care staff are so low that they do not meet the cost of living in any Pennsylvania county. Advocates are asked to add their names to a petition by filling out an online form. Start Strong PA is an advocacy campaign that is part of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five.
July 12, 2024 Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA Respond to 2024-25 State Budget Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA have issued statements that the state budget fails to address the crisis in the early childhood sector. The two advocacy campaigns – which are part of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five – have released reaction statements to Senate Bill 1001, which has been signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro and will be enacted in the 2024-25 Pennsylvania state budget. Below are statements from the advocacy campaigns and a breakdown of budget investments. Child Care $26.2 million in additional funding to maintain the status quo of payments in the subsidized child care system and the number of children. Additional federal child care funding to meet the federally recommended child care subsidy reimbursement rate. In a press release, Start Strong PA said, “With a child care sector that is collapsing with classrooms and programs closing across the commonwealth due to the historic child care teacher shortage, the Start Strong PA Campaign is deeply disappointed by the lack of direct investment to help child care providers recruit and retain their workforce as part of the state budget bill.” The Start Strong PA campaign noted that staffing shortages within the child-care sector are driven by low wages. According to the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the average child-care teacher in Pennsylvania only earns $15.15 per hour. This wage includes the impact of one-time federal child care stimulus funds. With the lack of direct state involvement, it is unclear whether these wages can be sustained, the campaign said. “Child care teachers are the workforce behind the workforce,” the statement said. “When families can’t get child care, their children suffer, their income drops, and the state’s economy is shortchanged. In a time of severe labor shortages and billions in state budget surplus, the commonwealth’s failure to help child care providers recruit and retain these teachers is a tragic outcome.” Recent estimates show that gaps in the child care sector cost the state’s economy $6.65 billion annually in lost wages, productivity, and tax receipts. Start Strong PA pointed out that more than 50 state chambers of commerce have called for investments that directly help child care providers attract and keep teachers. The budget deal includes a tax credit for businesses that help pay employees pay for child care. The credit is a demand-side solution that helps families afford care, but the state must invest in the supply side by stopping the exodus of teachers. “While we appreciate the continued support of existing programs in the state budget, the lack of investment in recruitment and retention initiatives will only continue the trend of short staffing in our programs and teachers leaving the field for higher-paying jobs,” said Karian Wise, the head of school for early learning at the Carlow University Early Learning Center and a Provider Advisory Board member. Pre-K $15 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program to increase rates from $10,000 per child for a full-day slot to $10,500. $2.7 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. In a statement, Pre-K for PA said, “The Pre-K Campaign is relieved to see modest growth in the state’s publicly funded pre-k programs – PA Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.” Pre-K for PA noted that increases for both programs will make rate increases possible to pre-kindergarten providers to combat inflationary pressures and staffing shortages. However, the campaign noted, “We are disappointed that the increase to PA Pre-K Counts is half of what Gov. Shapiro proposed, and state support for Head Start continues to grow at a slower rate than Pre-K Counts.” Currently, more than 78,000 three- and four-year-olds in Pennsylvania are eligible but do not have access to publicly-funded pre-k programs. Pre-k access has been a top issue for state voters, of whom 95% believe that early education is important and nearly 70% support increasing state funding for pre-k access. “Once again, Pennsylvania has failed to adequately invest in young children and their families,” said Abigail Enz-Doerschner, assistant director of the Once Upon a Time Early Learning Center in Washington and a Provider Advisory Board member. “While the state has offered a $500 per slot increase in PA Pre-K Counts funding, this 5% increase does not keep pace with the rising costs of operating a program. Insurance, utilities, teacher compensation – all of our costs have risen sharply.” Early Intervention $9.1 million increase for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) through DHS. $32.9 million increase for the Part B Early Intervention program (age three to five) through PDE. The statement noted that while the increase for the Early Intervention Part C reflects the administration’s updated budget request, it does not address broader issues within the program, including worker shortages and a long-needed rate adjustment for providers. Read the full statement by Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA.
