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| 5/19/2022 | CLOSED | Raise Child Care -- $115 Million to increase child care staff salaries
On Thursday, May 19, 2022, Start Strong PA sent the Raise Child Care petition to every member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly with 4,565 signatures demanding higher wages for Pennsylvania child care providers. Join us by sending a personal email to your Senator and Representative urging them to include sustainable funding for a $2/hour wage supplement in child care funding in the state budget. |
| 5/25/2022 | CLOSED 6/8/2022 | HB 1155: Oppose Exempting Municipal Parks and Recreation Programs from Licensing
The state House of Representatives is considering a bill (HB 1155) that would allow municipal parks and recreation programs to serve 3- and 4- year olds without having to become licensed and without meeting the basic health and safety standards our child care field is required to follow. PACCA believes that this creates a separate and unequal standard of care for young children by allowing lower standards of health and safety for Municipal Recreation Programs. This bill could also impact enrollment and revenue for licensed child care programs - creating new competition for our already under resourced child care community. STATUS -- Bill was approved unanimously by the House on 6/7/2022 and referred to the Senate Aging and Youth Committee |
| 7/21/2021 | CLOSED | Take Part in Action to #SaveChildCare
Decisions are being made on Capitol Hill right now that will determine whether Congress passes a major investment in America’s child care and early learning system before this key window of opportunity closes. Share how you've been impacted by the child care crisis and ask your Congressperson and Senators Casey and Toomey to ensure Congress passes significant, sustained funding for the child care sector. |
6/22/2021 | CLOSED | 2022 Budget Negotiations Wrapping Up
As part of the final 2021-22 budget, we are asking that PA policymakers include line item increase for pre-k and home visiting and utilize American Rescue Plan funds to strengthen our child care system and workforce. Urgent action is needed to tell the legislative leaders currently in budget negotiations - Make our recommendations part of the final budget deal! |
4/9/2021 | CLOSED | Urge the PA General Assembly to support Early Learning in the FY 2021-2022 Budget
Sign the petition urging state lawmakers to provide much-needed resources to preserve the Commonwealth's existing early learning system and ensure the healthy development of more young children. Includes child care requests to: Serve at least 3,000 additional infants and toddlers in new high-quality contracted slots Restore and fully fund Education and Retention Awards Ensure federal stimulus funds are invested wisely to strengthen the system
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1/14/2021 | CLOSED | Help Us Thank Congress for Early Learning Relief Funds!
While we know there is much more support needed, this will help, and we want to thank Congress for including funds that will directly support early learning providers. Please join us and the Start Strong PA Campaign in thanking Congress for the COVID relief. |
12/1/2020 | CLOSED 12/15/20 | Keep Early Learning Strong!
Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, and Childhood Begins At Home are urging Governor Wolf to further stabilize our early learning continuum of services as part of his upcoming 2021-2022 state budget proposal. Please take a moment to add your name to our petition to Governor Wolf. Together we can send a strong message to Keep Early Learning Strong in Pennsylvania! Sign our petition today |
11/23/2020 | CLOSED | Early Learning Budget and Policy Updates – Some Good News!
While our fight is not over, we want you to join us in thanking Governor Wolf and the General Assembly for maintaining state funding for child care, pre-k, and home visiting line items in the final 2020-21 state budget! |
11/13/2020 | CLOSED | Tell Lawmakers: Child Care Matters
Budget negotiations are going on NOW! Join providers, parents, advocates, and allies from across Pennsylvania and tell Governor Wolf and the General Assembly that they must include funding in budget negotiations to keep early learning strong! At a minimum, our elected officials must maintain state funding for the Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance line items at FY 2019-2020 levels. |
9/2/2020 | CLOSED | Stop the Reinstatement of Child Care Subsidy Payments Based on Attendance
We know that the child care industry is critical for families and our economy. There is no doubt that if there is no child care, there is no economic recovery. Join providers, parents, advocates, and allies from across Pennsylvania in demanding that Governor Wolf and our General Assembly STOP the reinstatement of a policy that will close more child care providers! |
6/1/2020 | CLOSED | You did it! We did it! Send a Thank You to Governor Wolf and the General Assembly!
Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA supporters sent over 20,000 emails urging our elected officials to Save Early Learning! They heard us! Join us in thanking the Governor and General Assembly for authorizing stimulus funds to save early learning! |
5/22/2020 | CLOSED | FINAL: House and Senate to Vote Budget Next Week: Send a Final ECE Message Today
Earlier this week, the Wolf Administration announced its plan to release $51 million in federal CARES Act child care funding. This is a step forward for programs serving subsidized and private pay children in recovering a portion of lost revenue from subsidy parent co-pays and private tuition.
Our FINAL MESSAGE to the Governor and General Assembly calls for more immediate and robust economic stimulus to save early learning programs in Pennsylvania. |
5/11/2020 | CLOSED | Week 3: Tell Policymakers ECE Programs Need Help to Reopen
We know providers want to ensure families that their facilities are safe when children are able to return. In order to instill that confidence and the safety of children and staff, all early learning program staff must receive training and providers must receive funding to support those cleaning efforts.
Join us in urging the Governor and General Assembly to require every child care, Pre-K Counts and Head Start program to attend free training on sanitizing practices AND to provide the funding necessary to implement cleaning efforts before re-opening. |
5/5/2020 | CLOSED | Week 2: Ask Policymakers to help stabilize child care
Please take a few minutes to send the Week #2 message urging PA lawmakers to authorize emergency funding to cover a portion of lost revenues for uncollected private pay child care tuition through the crisis period. |
4/27/2020 | CLOSED | Week 1: Cover Parent Co-Pays
Pennsylvania will receive nearly $106.4 million for child care stimulus funds from the federal CARES Act. The next six weeks are critical in our advocacy efforts as policymakers decide how federal stimulus funds are spent and address other concerns associated with COVID-19. Please take a few minutes this week to urge PA lawmakers that efforts to save early learning programs in PA must authorize emergency funding to cover the costs of the parent co-pay for children enrolled in child care subsidy.
This is the first in a six-week campaign focusing on ensuring that there are resources to help child care recover. |
3/26/2020 | CLOSED | Tell PA Lawmakers: Economic Recovery Depends on the Survival of Child Care
Stimulus funds and related legislation are urgently needed to stabilize our child care system, ensuring that programs survive so they are available when families return to work. Swift action is needed by the Governor and General Assembly to prevent the collapse of our child care system. PACCA is working with its colleagues on the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaigns to reach out to the Governor and members of the General Assembly. |
2/6/2020 | CLOSED | Tell your State Senator and Representative to increase funding for child care
Governor Wolf’s 20-21 budget address highlighted child care as a critical workforce support and one of the priorities of this year’s budget but included no new state funds to increase access or quality. Our senators and representatives need to hear from us throughout budget negotiations to make child care a priority in this budget! |
1/14/2020 | CLOSED | Remind Your Legislator to Sign Their 2020 Resolution!
In December, Start Strong PA delivered a New Year’s resolution photo frame to every member of the General Assembly. Inside the frame is the following resolution and a place for their signature. Throughout January, we are asking child care providers to send photos of infants and toddlers to their policymakers for them to place inside their frames. |
11/21/2019 | CLOSED | Contact your legislator about high-quality child care funding
This year's budget contained some good news for child care ... Using new federal dollars Pennsylvania was able to increase child care spending; however, state appropriators reduced the state child care budget by $36 million, replacing those dollars with federal funds. This reduction of state funds means we will have to fight harder in the coming years to restore and grow Pennsylvania’s investments in child care access, quality, and workforce supports. Join us in letting legislators know that while we appreciate the consideration placed on high-quality infant and toddler child care during this budget season, remind them we need their support for our youngest children to receive a quality educational foundation through high-quality child care through investing state resources. |
10/21/2019 | CLOSED | Let Gov. Wolf Know You Support Investments in ECE
The Pennsylvania Child Care Association is joining our partners on the Start Strong PA, as well as the Pre-K for PA and Childhood Begins At Home Campaigns to urge Governor Wolf to increase investments in PA's early learning programs. The Governor presents his proposed budget for FY 2020-2021 to the General Assembly in February, but now is the time he and his staff are crafting their budget priorities. |
7/19/2019 | CLOSED | Sign on your Organization to Urge Congress to Raise the Caps on Non-Defense Discretionary Funding
We need to show our support for Congress’ efforts to raise the caps on non-defense discretionary funding – the budget category that funds key programs for children and families, like CCDBG, Head Start, and others. Please add your ORGANIZATION to the list of national, state and local organizations urging Congress to raise the caps on non-defense discretionary funding by COB SUNDAY, JULY 21st so we can share with the Hill on Monday. |
4/04/2019 | CLOSED | Ask Your Legislators to Increase State Child Care Funds
PACCA and the Start Strong PA Campaign need you to urge your state legislators to support the Governor's proposal to allocate federal funds and to work together and craft a budget that increases state funds for child care by $50 million. With an additional investment of $50 million in state funding, Pennsylvania will help to ensure the healthy development of 10,000 infants and toddlers. |
2/4/2019 | CLOSED | Make Your Voice Heard and Sign-On To Ask Congress to Increase Federal Child Care Funding
We are advocating for greater investments in federal child care funding and we need your organization to join us in signing a letter to encourage the Pennsylvania delegation to support the increase. To allow for an increase in child care funding, it is essential that our delegation support an overall increase in the budgetary caps on domestic spending and a proportionate increase in funding to the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education appropriations bill. We are taking organizational sign-ons. If you are authorized to sign-on for your organization, please click through to the letter. |
6/19/2018 | CLOSED | Child Care Action Day
Today is Child Care Action Day 2018 - Build Bright Futures! We may not be having a big rally in Harrisburg this year, but we can still carry a message that will resonate in the halls of the capitol
Budget negotiations between the House and Senate Leaders and the Governor’s Office are not over. Reach out to your state representatives and urge them to support Governor Wolf’s proposed 27 million dollar increase to child care funding. |
5/15/2018 | CLOSED | Ask the PA House and Senate to Increase State Child Care Funding What is happening?
Gov. Wolf proposed a $27 million funding increase for child care. Now we need the General Assembly to support it as the state budget for fiscal year 2018-19 is finalized. Why does it matter?
The governor’s investment would allow more families to access child care subsidies they need to work and support quality child care for children through tiered reimbursement rate increases. As a provider, you know firsthand the difference high-quality care makes in the life of a child and their family. But, you also know the child care system is significantly underfunded and we need increased investments to improve it.
We are asking child care providers across the state to sign-on to a letter to the Pennsylvania senators and representatives asking them to support the $27 million increase in state funds.
Please sign your organization on to the letter by close of business on Wednesday, May 30! Your voice matters! |
2/9/2018 | CLOSED | In a perfect world Congress ... would pass a bill that would … Lower child care costs for low-income and middle-income families to a maximum of seven percent of household income through a sliding scale, regardless of how many children they have. Support universal access to high-quality preschool programs for all low- and middle-income three- and four-year-olds Significantly improve compensation and training for the child care workforce to ensure that our nation’s teachers and caregivers have the support they need. Improve the quality of child care by ensuring that funding is available to enable providers to maintain high standards.
The good news is a bill like this exists – it’s called the Child Care for Working Families Act. It was introduced in September, with our own Senator Bob Casey helping to lead the charge. |
1/18/2018 | CLOSED | Increase CCDBG in FY 2018 Appropriation Bill
We have an opportunity ... There is a proposal in Congress that would double discretionary funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant for FY 2018. We are collecting signatures urging Pennsylvania's congressional delegation to support this request. This is an important opportunity to secure additional funding for child care assistance, and we as a community must be vocal about our support with our delegation. |
You can make a difference in just 5 minutes. That's all it takes to learn about the issue and send a letter to your elected officials. The actions of our government have an enormous impact on the future of our children. History teaches us that every vote can matter. Use PACCA's Legislative Action Center to easily communicate with your elected officials and find out where they stand on the issues.
