Does PCCY Deserve Your Vote?
PCCY’s Health Policy Director Colleen McCauley is a semifinalist for the Health Hero Award from Be Well Philly and Independence Blue Cross. If Colleen wins, PCCY will receive a $3,000 donation. Colleen is a true health hero who leads PCCY’s efforts to improve access to health insurance and services for children.
Please take 30 seconds today to vote for Colleen so PCCY can move one step closer to winning this wonderful award.
You can vote once every 24 hours between now and Monday, November 3rd.
Have you met Colleen? Click here to see a short video from her on how she and PCCY helped make a positive and lasting impact for children who need vision care in Pennsylvania.
Here’s a tweet to send to your friends to help Colleen win this Health Hero award!
Please help @pccyteam by voting for Colleen McCauley in the @bewellphilly @IBX Health Hero Challenge #BWPHealthHero http://bit.ly/1tEXBvy
Click Here To Vote
New Report Finds Money Matters When it Comes to Student Performance
Pennsylvania gets low marks on funding equality for schools in a new report released by the American Institutes for Research. The report reviewed education funding in the state and concluded that with the absence of a reliable funding formula, there are significant disparities in student spending between wealthy and low-income school districts and a large achievement gap. Researchers found that “The 100 districts with the largest funding shortfalls, which educate 22 percent of the state’s public school children, have average SAT scores approximately 200 points lower than the most financially advantaged districts. These same districts have about 15 percent lower math proficiency and 20 percent lower reading proficiency on state assessments.”
Our own data backs up these research findings. The Pottstown School District spends an average of $14,700 per student and fewer than 70% of students scored proficient in math and reading on the 2012 PSSA’s. By contrast, the Lower Merion School District spends about $23,200 per student and more than 90% of students are reading and doing math on grade-level. Click here to see our Bottom Line is Children, Public Education in Montgomery County.
Pennsylvania’s Basic Education Funding Commission is charged with creating a new formula for education funding that distributes dollars based on a number of factors including the relative wealth of school districts. Join PCCY for Commission hearings in Philadelphia on November 18th and 19th to show Commission members that we want a reliable, adequate and equitable funding formula for our schools.
Can you make it to one of the hearings? Click here to sign up.
Click here to learn more about the Campaign for Fair Education Funding.
You can also join us in Delaware County on the evening of November 18th for “Delco Rising: Winning for Education.” Click here to RSVP.
Bad News for Working Families – Federal Subsidies for Affordable Child Care Hit Fifteen Year Low for Number of Children Served
New research released finds that the average number of children served with federal funds by the Pennsylvania child care subsidy program dropped by an average of 2,800 children per month from 2012 to 2013. Pennsylvania ranks among the top ten states with the largest decline in the number of federally subsidized child care slots supported in 2013. The Center for Law and Social Policy finds that for the last federal fiscal year (FY 2013) the number of children served by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) dropped to its lowest level since 1998. The decrease is due in part to federal funds being at a ten year low and the cost of care per child increasing over the fifteen year period.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant is the primary source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low-income working families and to improve child care quality.
Click here to read a state-by-state fact sheet on children enrolled in the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
Brittany is Why Pre-K Matters
Why is Pre-K so important? Brittany is a single mother working as a waitress in Delaware County. She recently told our Pre-K for PA field staff she is struggling to afford the high cost of pre-k for her youngest child Luna. Brittany explained “Luna is an exceptional child and I could not let her suffer because I cannot afford pre-K. There needs to be more help for single mothers who are working hard to cover expenses on their own.”
Over the last ten months, the Pre-K for PA Campaign has recruited thousands of Pennsylvanians and hundreds of organizations across the state to push the state to fund high quality Pre-K for three-and four-year-olds. Following the election, the Campaign will begin work to make sure those who indicated their support for pre-K, back up their campaign promises with action by working towards expanding pre-K to ensure all children start school ready to succeed.
Show your support for Pre-K for PA while you’re out trick-or-treating with the kids!
Click here for cool Pre-K for PA treats.
Just Two Weeks Left to Apply for Picasso Project Grants
PCCY’s Picasso Project Makes Hands-on Arts Instruction a Reality
Schools seeking Picasso grants to support partnerships with teaching artists must submit applications for support from the Picasso Project by November 13th. Any city school with two or fewer arts teachers is eligible to apply. Since 2002, PCCY’s Picasso Project has provided nearly half a million dollars in mini-grants to Philadelphia schools, helping more than 30,000 students learn and express themselves through the arts.
Spread the word! The deadline to apply is November 13th, 2014.
Click here to learn more about how to apply and for assistance on filling out the grant application.
Click here to download a flyer to share with your networks.