Centre Co. Childcare Crisis Coalition

08/16/2026

Thanks, Eileen Wise

Everyone agrees child care in America is broken. Not everyone agrees on where to begin.

New research from Harvard economist Jeff Liebman points at raising educator wages as the best first step. He surveyed 1,001 Massachusetts mothers and found that 89% would use formal child care if they could afford it. Only about half currently do.

Raising educator pay would not make care more expensive. It would make more of it exist. Better pay brings educators into the field and keeps them there. More educators means more classrooms. More classrooms means more seats for the families locked out today.

Our President Sarah Siegel Muncey on what the findings mean, in this piece by Mara Kardas-Nelson and Katie Johnston at the Boston Globe 🔗 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/08/12/metro/massachusetts-childcare-harvard-study/

08/14/2026

We have a lot of PA Kiwanis friends attending the statewide meeting in Lancaster this weekend. If you're there stop by the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA table to say hello. Take a selfie with the Starkid post it and tag us!

Kiwanis Club of Easton, PA
Kiwanis Club of Bald Eagle and Nittany Valleys
Kiwanis Club - Lititz Area
Kiwanis Club Of Ambler PA
Kiwanis Club of Mill Hall, PA
Kiwanis Club of Harrisburg
Pennsylvania Kiwanis
Pennsylvania Kiwanis Foundation

08/06/2026

Dr. Val Arkoosh, Pennsylvania's Secretary of the Department of Human Services, visited Strasburg, Lancaster County, to highlight the state's "Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program."

08/06/2026

🎉

The 2026-27 Pennsylvania budget builds on Pennsylvania’s progress under Governor Shapiro with key investments, including a $5 million increase for the Child Care Staff Retention and Recruitment Program Governor Shapiro created last year, for a total of $30 million in funding, providing at least $540 per employee annually to licensed Child Care Works providers.

07/24/2026

The Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program is critical to solving the child care staffing crisis. Pennsylvania is making progress with this funding but there is still NO county across the Commonwealth where child care staff make a living wage.
Join us today in the fight to !
www.startstrongpa.org/join-us

If you want to thank the Shapiro Administration and members of the General Assembly that voted for this funding you can send an email at
www.startstrongpa.org/take-action

07/23/2026

Any increase in these early childhood budget lines is a win for providers, families, and the kids who rely on high‑quality care. Support is growing and advocacy is working! Start Strong PA

07/17/2026

A $1.043M boost to Head Start may be modest, but it matters. This funding will allow programs to continue providing high‑quality early learning and support the workforce that makes it possible. Start Strong PA

07/14/2026

Thank you to the Shapiro Administration and the General Assembly for continuing to acknowledge the importance of high-quality early care and education. The incremental progress in the final 2026-27 state budget is a step in the right direction for families across the Commonwealth.

Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus, PA Senate Republicans, Pennsylvania House Democrats, Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus

07/12/2026

The PA budget has passed with wins for ECE!!! Woohoo!!! Thank you to everyone that advocated, signed action alerts, and sent post cards!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰