Pittsburgh Review

On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced grant funds totaling more than $384 million for early childhood education, which will provide children and families with high-quality early learning programs through the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP).

According to a release by Wolf, the funding is through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). It opens up 2,960 new PA Pre-K Count slots and also allows grantees to address increased costs in operation.

“Education investment has been my top priority since I first considered running for this office,” Wolf said. “That priority, commitment and investment is nowhere more important than in its impact on Pennsylvania’s youngest citizens. Early childhood education makes a vast difference in a child’s path to a bright future and to realizing their full potential.”

The release added that this year more than 37,213 children will receive services through Pre-K Counts and HSSAP. More than $87 million in Head Start Supplemental Assistance Grants was awarded to 41 applicants, and also gives existing Head Start grantees an opportunity to expand high-quality pre-kindergarten Head Start services. 

The Pre-K Counts Grant Program awarded more than $297 million in grants to 89 applicants to provide high-quality pre-kindergarten care for age and income-eligible children. 

Wolf’s newly approved budget has $1.8 billion in funding, which includes a $79 million increase for early education through the Head Start and Pe-K Counts programs. Since 2015 the Wolf Administration has increased education funding by $3.7 billion. Early childhood increases have amounted to $254 million.

“Investing in early childhood education and expanding access to high-quality programs like Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program positively impacts families and children across the commonwealth,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “Increasing the number of slots available for these programs means more children will have access to the early learning that will benefit them and their families now and throughout their lives.”