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.
April 30, 2025 Federal Actions and Proposals Threaten Head Start Programs The federal administration recently announced a proposal to eliminate Head Start, a 60-year-old federally funded program that provides comprehensive early learning, health, nutrition, and family support services to low-income children, ages 3-5, and their families as well as pregnant women and infants/toddlers under age 3. Head Start serves nearly 30,000 Pennsylvania children at 806 centers and employs nearly 10,000 staff members. In total, Head Start serves 750,000 children across all 50 states. Head Start is a critical program within the early care and education infrastructure and a high-quality child care option for families living in poverty. “We have decades of data showing early childhood education drives economic mobility, strengthens communities, and reduces the need for costly interventions later,” said Cara Ciminillo, executive director for Trying Together. “Gutting a program that serves nearly a million children and families each year would set us back generations — and cost us far more in the long run.” In recent months, a number of actions by the current administration have led to disruption and confusion for families and educators, delays in payments to local Head Start grantees, and loss of employment for Head Start and Office of Child Care staff at the federal level. Additionally, five Head Start Regional Offices were closed, representing half of all regional offices across the country, including 22 states, six territories, and 467 Tribal governments. This has resulted in diminished capacity for federal grant awards, monitoring, and technical assistance as well as a major loss of content knowledge expertise for early childhood. In response to these actions, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) has joined with a coalition of several state Head Start associations as well as two Parent Voices of Oakland, Family Forward Oregon, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Ted Waters to file a complaint to prevent the dismantling of Head Start. “The administration is taking Head Start apart piece by piece by slow walking grants, making it harder to access rigorously approved funding, and executive orders that cut at the heart of serving children and families in our communities,” PHSA said in an April 28 email to supporters. “These actions will result in the widespread termination of services for children and families that rely on Head Start for their childcare needs and are contrary to the Head Start Act, violates constitutional separation of powers, spending clause, due process (vagueness), First Amendment and the APA and is arbitrary and capricious. The President can’t thwart statutory directives by defunding the program.” Read more. Take Action Trying Together is deeply concerned with the proposed elimination of Head Start and urges federal policymakers to prevent the dismantling of this critical service. Make your voice and take action in one of the following ways: Sign the Pre-K for PA petition to Tell Congress to Protect Head Start and/or one of the other petitions listed on Pennsylvania’s Head Start Association website Contact your legislators by phone, email, or letter Tell your story: Share what Head Start means to you Visit the Pennsylvania Head Start Association action page. We recommend taking every action you possibly can Invite others on social media to take action. Don’t forget to tag your policymaker!
April 29, 2025 Working Together Webinar Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA will hold a webinar that will focus on advocating for funding in the 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget. Learn More The webinar, which will be offered in English and Spanish, will include discussions on: Advocating for early learning in the 2025-26 state budget State legislation updates Federal advocacy update and opportunities for child care The webinar will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 8. Those interested should register in advance for the Zoom webinar. Those who register will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Speakers will include Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, and the Provider Advisory Board. Other organizations participating include Trying Together, Pennsylvania Head Start Association, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, and Champions for Early Education.
March 3, 2025 Working Together Webinar Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA will host an upcoming webinar on the state budget and advocacy efforts. Learn More The Working Together Webinar will be available in English and Spanish. The topics covered during the webinar include: Early learning in the 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget Follow up and response to state policymakers Federal advocacy update and opportunities for child care The webinar will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 13. Registration is open for the Zoom webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Speakers will include Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA partners.
January 8, 2025 Map Provides Window Into Day-to-Day Life of Early Childhood Educators Trying Together – in partnership with the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns – has created an interactive map that highlights the day-to-day realities of child care programs around the state. These first-hand accounts depict the joys and challenges of working in the early care and education field. Learn More Visitors to the site will see the impact of low wages for educators, the closed classrooms and silent playgrounds, teachers struggling to afford basic necessities, and empty administrative offices. But they will also read stories about the joy a child finds on a swing at a program in Coraopolis or how teachers have an impact on the learning and growth of children in their communities. There’s even a story about a preschooler field trip to Burger King. The stories also show how, despite challenges, early childhood educators go above and beyond for their children and families. This includes meeting transportation needs, providing meals, and collaborating with caregivers on securing early intervention services for children. Each photo on the site was taken during an everyday moment in an early care and education program setting. The captions were written by each participant with guidance from their early childhood colleagues. Recruitment and Retention Currently, early childhood educators in child care programs make an average $15.15 per hour, which is less than $32,000 a year and does not meet the cost of living in any Pennsylvania county. Trying Together, Start Strong PA, and Pre-K for PA are all calling for early childhood educators (ECE) to be paid what they deserve. To compete with states that are doing more to keep ECE teachers in the classroom, Pennsylvania must invest $284 million in new and recurring state funding to implement a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative. To read the stories, view the map on the A Day in the Life website.
November 13, 2024 Working Together Webinar Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA are hosting a webinar that will focus on early learning priorities for the 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget. Learn More The Working Together Webinar will focus a variety of topics, including: Early learning priorities for the 2025-26 state budget Election results Advocacy update and opportunities for child care Speakers will include Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA partners, including Trying Together, Champions for Early Education, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, and Pennsylvania Head Start Association. Attendees will learn how to work together to strengthen Pennsylvania’s early learning system for teachers and programs and grow access to more eligible families. More Details The webinar will begin at noon on Thursday, Nov. 21. Those interested in attending should register in advance. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the webinar.
October 22, 2024 ELPA Releases Report on State of Early Care and Education in PA The Early Learning PA (ELPA) coalition has released a new report on the state of early care and education in Pennsylvania. Learn More The report, Providing the Necessary Foundation for Young Children to Succeed, includes a number of findings regarding the effect on the state when families can access child care options. It also provides policy recommendations about recruitment and retention for the child care workforce. The report states that the focus of the ELPA coalition – of which Pre-K for PA, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, and Start Strong PA are members – advocates for access to high-quality early care and education and healthy development opportunities for all Pennsylvania children. The report takes a deeper look into complexities within the state’s child care and pre-k system and recommends improvements that are necessary to ensure the system functions equitably. Its aim is to increase access and affordability for all Pennsylvania families. Key Findings The report’s key findings include: 71% of families with young children in the state have all available caregivers in the workforce. Pennsylvania loses about $6.65 billion annually when families cannot access child care options. Only 25% of eligible infants and toddlers are being served by Child Care Works, leaving more than 73,000 eligible infants and toddlers unserved. On average, child care for an infant in Pennsylvania comprises about 17.5% of the median family’s income. The state’s average wage of a child care worker is about $15.15 per hour. Only 46% of all child care capacity in Pennsylvania meets high-quality standards and only 36% of providers serving children under age 5 in Child Care Works are high-quality. Only 46% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds participate in high-quality, publicly-funded pre-k, leaving more than 78,000 without access to a high-quality program. At 49%, child care programs comprise the largest share of Pre-K Counts providers in the state, with half of Pre-K Counts children being served in high-quality child care centers. The average salary for pre-k teachers in the state is $34,430, compared to $68,250 for kindergarten teachers. 96% of kindergarten teachers agree that students who attend high-quality pre-k programs are ready for success when they start kindergarten. Policy Recommendations The report’s recommendations for policymakers in Pennsylvania include: Implementing and continually funding a recruitment and retention model to increase the child care workforce and ensure providers have the staff needed to operate at full capacity Cease using market-rate surveys, instead conducting cost estimation studies to develop an approved modeling tool to determine the true cost of providing high-quality care; this would ensure accurate investment in state funding in the child care sector to build an infrastructure that would support providers Increasing state and federal funding for the child care sector to serve more infants and toddlers Increasing state pre-k investments in Pre-K Counts and HSSAP Developing and fully funding a pay parity policy for pre-k teachers that reflects wages provided to teachers in the K-12 system Requiring OCDEL to produce a report every three years that provides a clear picture of the early childhood workforce, using state-level and county data and including recommendations on how Pennsylvania can better support the profession Expanding the number of high-quality providers by increasing incentives within the state’s QRIS, Keystone STARS Providing additional opportunities for professional development and career advancement for the early care and education workforce Conducting an equity audit of the state’s early care and education system to understand better the changes needed to ensure equitable access for all children The entire report can be viewed online.
October 7, 2024 Report Finds That PA Early Learning Shortage Poses Risk to Economy A report from Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children notes that the state faces an historic early learning workforce shortage. Learn More A coordinated early care and education system ensures that infants, toddlers, and preschoolers succeed in school and allows parents to work while knowing their children are safe and learning in high-quality care. But Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children’s 2024 State of Early Care and Education report found that this coordinated system that is vital to the economy could be threatened by the early learning workforce shortage. The report uses data and research to show that without new investments in the child care workforce, Pre-K Counts, or the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, early learning providers will continue to lose teachers and close classrooms. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children worked with Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates that includes Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA, on the report. Inadequate Funding The report shows that inadequate funding for the early care and education system has led to supply-side issues affecting families’ abilities to find affordable, high-quality care. It has also impacted providers’ abilities to be compensated fairly to pay teachers and maintain business expenses. Without direct investment in the child care sector’s workforce, the crisis will continue, likely resulting in more classroom closures and more working parents struggling to find care for their children, the report noted. The report recommends implementing and funding a recruitment and retention model to increase the child care workforce and ensure that providers have the staff needed to operate at full capacity. It also suggests increasing state investments in the Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance programs as well as developing and funding a pay parity policy for pre-K teachers that reflects wages provided to teachers in the K-12 system. Other Findings Other findings in the report include: Only 46% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds participate in high-quality, publicly funded pre-K, leaving more than 78,000 without access to a high-quality program. Unlivable wages of less than $15.15 per hour are causing an historic workforce shortage, closing classrooms and driving up waitlists for working parents. Child care providers can’t raise teacher wages because families are already struggling to afford care costs. On average, costs for infant child care comprise about 17% of the Pennsylvania median family income. Only 25% of eligible children under age three are served by Child Care Works, leaving more than 73,000 eligible infants and toddlers unserved. The full report is available on Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children’s website.
October 2, 2024 Working Together Webinar Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA will host an upcoming webinar that will focus on early learning in Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 budget. Learn More The webinar, which will be available in English and Spanish, will focus on early learning in the state budget for 2025-26. It will also include an advocacy update and a discussion on opportunities for child care. The webinar will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10. Those interested in attending should register in advance. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Speakers will include Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA partners, including: Champions for Early Education Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children Pennsylvania Child Care Association Pennsylvania Head Start Association Trying Together Attendees will learn how to continue working with others to strengthen the state’s early learning system for teachers and programs and grow access to more eligible families.
September 3, 2024 Report: Fewer Pennsylvania Teachers Getting Certified A new report by Penn State College’s Center for Evaluation and Education Policy Analysis found that fewer Pennsylvania teachers are getting certified and many are leaving the field altogether. Learn More In his study, “Pennsylvania Teacher Attrition and Turnover from 2014 to 2024,” Penn State professor Ed Fuller notes that the 2022-23 state’s teacher attrition rate of 7.7% was the highest on record. According to a Chalkbeat report, Pennsylvania was within the range of national trends during that time period. About 9,500 Pennsylvania teachers left the profession between 2022 and 2023, which led to concern that attrition rates would exacerbate ongoing teacher shortages. While demand for teachers has increased, the supply has decreased. But Fuller’s study found that fewer teachers left the profession in Pennsylvania than in the prior year. The teacher attrition rate from 2022-23 to 2023-24 dropped from 7.7% to 6.7%. This equals about 8,326 teachers. However, the attrition rate is still greater than the rates for six of the 10 years since 2014-15. Early Learning Shortages The teacher shortage in Pennsylvania extends to child care and early learning professionals. A September 2023 survey by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s PolicyLab on behalf of StartStrongPA detailed a child care staffing crisis in 762 of the state’s child care programs as well as its effect on working families’ ability to access care. That study found that 2,395 open positions across the state have resulted in the closure of 934 classrooms. It also found that child care providers’ inability to recruit and retain staff is having a direct impact on the quality of their programming. An additional 26,000 children could be served at state child care programs if fully staffed, the report found. Similarly, a total of 145,010 Pennsylvania children, ages three and four, are eligible for high-quality kindergarten – but only 46% of them have access, according to 2024 Pre-K for PA fact sheets. Pre-K for PA’s campaign amid the 2024-25 state budget process called for increased investments in Pre-K Counts to address teacher shortages and greater access to eligible children.
