The Growing Place Opens Two New Pre-K Counts Classrooms

Pre-K for PA provider The Growing Place hosted State Senator Mario Scavello to celebrate the opening of two new Pre-K Counts classrooms at Stroudsburg Middle School, on Thursday, October 11. Also attending the celebration were Dr. Cosmos Curry, Superintendent of the Stroudsburg Area School District, and Jennifer Strauch, Vice President of Community Impact for the United Way of Monroe County.

The center’s students presented thank you cards for the continued support of early childhood education from Sen. Scavello. In the final 2018-19 state budget, an increased investment of $25 million for pre-kindergarten helped fund these two new classrooms providing access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-k for 36 additional children.

Despite recent success in growing state funding for high-quality pre-k, access remains a problem. Seventy-five percent of income eligible 3-and 4-year-olds in Monroe County do not have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-k -- leaving more than 1,700 eligible children without access each year. More than 106,000 eligible children lack access statewide.

Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Our vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and
communities. For more information www.prekforpa.org.