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April 9 News Conference in Harrisburg to Call for State Investment in Child Care

Posted on April 5, 2024

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Co-Chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan legislative Early Childhood Education (ECE) Caucus will host early learning students, teachers, and parents, as well as other advocates at a Capitol Rotunda press conference to underscore how a growing teacher shortage, driven by low compensation, is closing child care and pre-k classrooms throughout Pennsylvania and making recruiting and retaining employees in all industry sectors more difficult when working parents of young children cannot access care.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 9 a.m.

WHERE: Pennsylvania Capitol Rotunda, 501 North 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120

WHY: An employer childcare impact survey conducted by the PA Chamber of Business and Industry and the Early Learning Investment Commission found more than 80% of Pennsylvania employers attributed childcare issues to moderate or significant problems recruiting and retaining workers. Also reflective of the crisis, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Policy Lab survey showed more than 3,300 open childcare positions among 677 providers surveyed. Fully staffed, those providers could serve almost 16,500 more children.

Many states are directly investing in strategies to turn around childcare and teacher shortages. Eighteen states including Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee have been investing in initiatives to cut down teacher turnover rates. Leah Spangler, EdD, President & CEO of The Learning Lamp, will join speakers Tuesday in outlining the severity of the situation in Pennsylvania and calling for state investment now.

“To raise workforce participation, which is a goal in the Commonwealth’s new economic development strategy, families need child care. But it won’t happen without public investment to help attract and retain a quality early learning workforce,” explains Spangler.

The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high-quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2023, The Learning Lamp and our school-based division Ignite Education Solutions directly served 37,524 youth/adults from 87 public/private schools in 36 Pennsylvania counties. We also supported 473 child care and youth-serving organizations with shared resources, positively impacting another 44,190 children statewide.

Our programs include child care and preschool, after-school and summer care, tutoring, SAT prep, school staffing, specialized classrooms for at-risk students, online learning, credit recovery, portable STEM classrooms, substance use prevention, trauma support, and family-strengthening programs, and project consulting for schools.

The latest on Instagram:

  • @thelearninglamp:📣 Looking for reliable and engaging before and after school care for your child? We’re now enrolling in our programs at several convenient locations! Our Before and After School Programs are available at: ⭐ Bishop McCort Catholic Elementary West (afternoons) ⭐ Central Cambria Elementary (afternoons) ⭐ Richland ⭐ Windber ⭐ Forest Hills Elementary ⭐ Jackson Elementary Give your child a safe, fun, and enriching space before and after school hours! For more information or to enroll, contact Lauren at 814-262-0732 x243. Spaces fill up quickly—secure your spot today!
  • @thelearninglamp:TOMORROW is Fayette Gives! Learn how to support us and make an impact by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yup7s873 #FayetteGives #thelearninglamp
  • @thelearninglamp:Fresh air, laughter, and endless adventures await!
  • @thelearninglamp:📢 Now Hiring: Workforce Coordinator! Are you passionate about expanding opportunities for the Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce? Join our mission-driven team as a Workforce Coordinator! In this role, you’ll collaborate on ECE professional development initiatives, support apprenticeship programs, and help make a difference! 💼 Position Details: • Full-time, starting at $13+/hr based on experience • Bachelor’s degree + related experience required • Excellent benefits and more! Apply today to help us support quality education for every child! 🌟 https://tinyurl.com/2ky29eym #TheLearningLamp #Hiring #WorkforceCoordinator #EducationJobs

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