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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.

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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/