Stay tuned
for details of our statewide November action event. At the end of the
message are Appropriations Committee addresses and an overview of the status of
a variety of early childhood initiatives on the state and federal level.
You can also download a copy of the names and address of committee members.
WAGE AND RETENTION PROGRAM
Although the
state early childhood budget process is still in chaos, the news on the wage and
retention front is better than it has ever been before. With the $2 million
that the Governor earmarked in March for a wage and retention pilot project, DPW
is about to launch
Pennsylvania CARES (Compensation and
Retention Encourage Stability). Any program (center, group or home) that meets
the criteria for Keystone Stars entry will be eligible, and yearly awards will
range from $3,500 for a Bachelors degree or higher to $1000 for a CDA and $400
for a high school diploma plus certain training.
Let’s
thank Governor Rendell for this commitment to quality and stability in our
field--and encourage him to expand the program in coming years! Please send a
note or write a postcard or fax to the Governor with a message like this (though
it’s always better to use your own words):
Thank you
for funding the pilot wage and retention program for early childhood educators,
Pennsylvania CARES. Now we just need it to
grow to benefit all of the 300,000 children in our care. Your commitment to
quality and stability in the field warms my heart and gives me hope for the
future.
Honorable Edward G. Rendell
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg,
PA 17120
Fax: 717-772-8284
Be creative -
as only those in our field can be. When applications for Pennsylvania
CARES become available in late September or October, QUEST will engage in a big
rollout campaign. Stay tuned.
LOAN FORGIVENESS
In the negotiations that occur on the education budget, there may be an opening
to get Child Care Loan Forgiveness funded again for this year. A Loan
Forgiveness bill, introduced by Senator Allyson Schwartz, has passed the
Education Committee and is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee. This
bill expands eligibility (increasing the income cap, including home providers,
and decreasing restrictions on the nature of the degree) and asks for
a $1.25 million appropriation.
At minimum, please contact the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,
Robert Thompson, encouraging him to vote Loan Forgiveness (Senate Bill 708) out
of committee.
Senator Robert Thompson
Senate
Box 203019
Harrisburg,
PA 17120-3019
Phone: 717-787-5709
Fax: 717-772-1819
e-mail:
rthompson@pasen.gov
Even better, also contact your own Senator if he or she appears on the list at
the bottom of this message. Better yet... contact them all, and ask co-workers,
parents and staff to do likewise! The message is simple:
The early childhood system in
Pennsylvania needs Loan Forgiveness, so that
trained and qualified teachers can afford to stay in such a low-paying field.
Please vote Senate Bill 708 out of committee.
Let us all
know what you are up to. Consider inviting a legislator or community leader to
job shadow at your program this fall. Send your ideas for action. We are
excited about the very substantial gains we have made in the past year, and look
forward to working together for more.
Appropriations Committee
members:
(Download List)
Boscola, Lisa
Phone: (717) 787-4236
Fax: (717) 783-1257
E-mail:
boscola@dem.pasen.gov
Brightbill, David
Phone: (717) 787-5708
Fax: (717) 787-3455
E-mail:
dbrightbill@pasen.gov
Corman, Jake
Phone: (717) 787-1377
Fax: (717) 772-3146
E-mail:
jcorman@pasen.gov
Costa, Jay Jr.
Phone: (717) 787-7683
Fax: (717) 783-5976
E-mail:
costa@dem.pasen.gov
Dent, Charles
Phone: (717) 787-1349
Fax: (717) 772-3458
E-mail:
cdent@pasen.gov
Erickson, Edwin
Phone: (717) 787-1350
Fax: (717) 787-0196
E-mail:
eerickson@pasen.gov
Fumo, Vincent
Phone: (717) 787-5662
Fax: (717) 783-5210
E-mail:
Senator_Fumo@fumo.com
Greenleaf, Stewart
Phone: (717) 787-6599
Fax: (717) 783-7328
E-mail:
sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
Hughes, Vincent
Phone: (717) 787-7112
Fax: (717) 772-0579
E-mail:
hughes@dem.pasen.gov
Madigan, Roger
Phone: (717) 787-3280
Fax: (717) 772-0575
E-mail:
rmadigan@pasen.gov
Mellow, Robert
Phone: (717) 787-6481
Fax: (717) 783-5198
E-mail:
mellow@dem.pasen.gov
Musto, Raphael
Phone: (717) 787-7105
Fax: (717) 783-4141
E-mail:
musto@dem.pasen.gov
O’Pake, Michael
Phone: (717) 787-8925
Fax: (717) 772-0578
E-mail:
opake@dem.pasen.gov
Orie, Jane
Phone: (717) 787-6538
Fax: (717) 787-8625
E-mail:
jorie@pasen.gov
Rhoades, James
Phone: (717) 787-2637
Fax: (717) 783-9149
E-mail:
jrhoades@pasen.gov
Scarnari, Joseph
Phone: (717) 787-7084
Fax: (717) 772-2755
E-mail:
jscarnati@pasen.gov
Stout,
J.
Phone: (717) 787-1463
Fax: (717) 772-2108
E-mail:
stout@dem.pasen.gov
Thompson, Robert
Phone: (717) 787-5709
Fax: (717) 772-1819
E-mail:
rthompson@pasen.gov
Tomlinson, Robert
Phone: (717) 787-5072
Fax: (717) 772-2991
E-mail:
rtomlinson@pasen.gov
Wagner, Jack
Phone: (717) 787-5300
Fax: (717) 772-5484
E-mail:
wagner@dem.pasen.gov
Waugh, Mike
Phone: (717) 787-3817
Fax: (717) 783-1900
E-mail:
mwaugh@pasen.gov
Wenger, Noah
Phone: (717) 787-4420
Fax: (717) 783-3156
E-mail:
nwenger@pasen.gov
White, Mary Jo
Phone: (717) 787-9684
Fax: (717) 772-3459
E-mail:
mwhite@pasen.gov
