About Us

Why Should You Care Whether Children Are Ready for School?

Centre County has more than 9,000 children under the age of six.

In a perfect world, from the earliest moments of life, all 9,000 of those children would be safe, healthy, and full of joy. That isn’t realistic—sometimes children’s lives are difficult.

There is well-documented research that speaks to what infants and toddlers need for optimal development:

  • stable, supportive homes and safe communities
  • quality educational environments before they enter school
  • good health

Education begins at birth, when children start building a catalog of basic knowledge upon which to anchor learning for the school years—and lifetime—to follow. Out of positive social relationships with parents, other caring adults, and peers, young children are able to begin developing the social skills, pre-academic skills, and healthy living habits that lay the foundation for a productive and healthy life. By the end of the third grade, the path to success or failure in school is already charted, much of it depending upon the student’s ability to read.

Low-level skills translate to economic dependency, for which we all pay. In Pennsylvania, fully one-quarter of fifth graders do not achieve basic proficiency in a standardized reading test, only one litmus test of the success of our children. They are falling behind, and without action now, our children will be at risk. We need all of our children to be prepared for school, and ultimately, for life.

Centre County Statistics

Because of the presence of the Pennsylvania State University in our region, a general misconception is that this is a wealthy county and that children’s needs are being met. Consider these statistics for Centre County (2002).

  • There are close to 9,000 children under the age of six (2000 Census figures). This region is one of the fastest growing population areas in Pennsylvania, with a 9 percent increase in population over the past ten years. Child care and educational services just can’t keep up.
  • Twelve percent of families with children under the age of five are living in poverty ($18,000 for a family of four) and another 10 percent are low income.
  • Twelve percent of adults over the age of 25 lack a high school diploma.
  • For some families, child care can cost as much as housing.
  • In 2002, only two child care centers in Centre County held a national accreditation.
  • A teacher in a child care center makes just slightly more than minimum wage, but less than a fast food worker.
  • Only 60 percent of eligible children are enrolled in Head Start.
  • Only 34 percent of eligible children are enrolled in the state’s children’s health insurance program.
  • One in seven pregnant women do not receive early prenatal care.
  • Sixty percent of parents of young children are employed.

As in many communities, local projects have been developed to address these and other issues, but what results is a patchwork quilt of services. Resources are stretched beyond capacity and agencies become isolated and disconnected from others with the same goals. It can be difficult for people to find parenting classes, clinics and social services, and profit- or non-profit services.

Benefits of Fulfilling Young Children’s Needs

  • 85% of businesses say providing child care services aids in recruitment.
  • 37-60% of businesses found reduction in turnover by providing child care assistance.
  • Every dollar invested in high-quality early care and education programs yields $2 in savings in later government spending on remedial education (some estimates go as high as $7).

By investing in preschool education, Pennsylvania would save:

  • $6,156 for each special education student
  • $82,000 for housing a juvenile in a youth development center
  • $28,112 for incarcerating a state prison inmate
  • $2,324 for a child on Medicaid