Latest news with #TheLearningLamp
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Somerset County advocates press for statewide aid to combat child care teacher shortage
SOMERSET, Pa. – Advocates for early education cited big numbers and small children Thursday in Somerset in an effort to solve a Pennsylvania-wide teacher shortage in the child care field. Somerset County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ron Aldom quoted a new report that Pennsylvania is losing $6.5 billion annually in earnings, productivity and tax revenue because so many parents have to stay at home with their children. Standing next to a group of pre-kindergarten students, The Learning Lamp CEO Leah Spangler said her organization's Somerset center could be preparing 63 more kids for elementary school if just seven more teaching positions were filled. 'That's 63 futures,' she said. That total would grow to 25,000 more children statewide – and thousands of families would benefit – if the statewide teacher shortage was erased, Spangler added. Aldom and Spangler were among the early childhood education advocates aiming to ramp up support for a $55 million state budget proposal to help address the shortage. It's at a 'crisis' point – and Pennsylvania, its businesses and its next generation of workers are all being impacted, said state Sen. Patrick Stefano, R-Fayette, who supports the measure. The child care teacher shortage has continued for years across the region, which has seen child care centers struggle to find staff – and, increasingly, close as a result. It all boils down to the reality that early child care teachers are paid near-poverty-level wages – less than half of their elementary school counterparts, Stefano and Spangler said. They earn an average of just $29,480 annually statewide – barely enough for one person, let alone a parent with a family of their own, to survive in today's economy, United Way of the Southern Alleghenies CEO Karen Struble Myers said. Low wage-earning families and 'the child care workers who serve them are trapped in a cycle where underfunded care equals underfunded staff. (That equals) unaffordable care and workforce shortages,' she said. 'It's a downward spiral that hurts everyone.' There are people on the sidelines who want to work, Aldom said. 'They just can't,' he added, 'because for many people, the cost of child care offsets the money they make.' That's one reason why child care providers such as The Learning Lamp cannot solve the teacher wage crisis by simply ratcheting up tuition costs for the working families they serve, Spangler added. The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young People cited an Early Learning PA Coalition study that showed 83% of likely voters surveyed in March supported increasing state funding for child care teacher recruitment. Stefano, a state Senate Aging and Youth Committee member who has backed efforts to solve the issue, said there's reason for hope this budget cycle. Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed adding $55 million to the early education budget specifically for child care recruitment and retention – a move that may be a first for a Pennsylvania governor, Stefano said. It's important to make sure the topic remains a bipartisan priority as budget discussions continue, he said. Lawmakers need to settle on a final dollar amount and how it will be paid for and, separately, work with Pennsylvania businesses to clear regulatory hurdles that are barriers to supporting child care-needy employees, Stefano said. Shapiro was in Erie Thursday advocating for a stronger investment in early childhood education. Part of his proposal calls for a Child Care Works recruitment bonus program aimed at retaining new hires. Stefano said it's going to take several different measures to solve the issue. 'It's going to require public-private partnerships,' he added. He said the fact that Chambers of Commerce statewide, including Somerset County's, are lobbying Harrisburg to address the teacher shortage adds weight to the movement. Aldom said it's a no-brainer for businesses. 'I think we're all on board with this idea,' he said. 'Child care is vital to the future of our economy and the well-being of working families everywhere.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Somerset teacher shortage, leaders warn of worsening child care crisis
SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A growing shortage of child care teachers is shutting down classrooms and straining working families across Pennsylvania, prompting Somerset County leaders to call for urgent state investment. At a press conference Thursday hosted at The Learning Lamp Center for Children, lawmakers, business advocates and child care experts detailed the economic fallout of the staffing crises, pointing to recent state and local surveys. According to a statewide survey of child care providers, 92% reported difficulty recruiting staff, while 85% cited ongoing shortages. In Somerset County alone, 17 positions remain unfilled, leaving more than 200 children without care. Dr. Leah Spangler, CEO of The Learning Lamp, said the Somerset location is down seven teachers. If fully staffed, it could serve an additional 63 children. Across six locations in Somerset, Cambria, Fayette and Westmoreland counties, 48 open jobs translate into nearly 300 children unable to access care. Business leaders also shared the results of a Pennsylvania Chamber Survey, which found that 81% of employers are struggling with recruitment and retention due to limited child care options. Another 69% said helping employees meet child care needs is 'extremely or very important.' The economic toll is staggering. A ReadyNation and PA Early Learning Investment Commission report estimates the child care crisis is costing the state $6.65 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity and tax revenue. State Senator Pat Stefano (R-32), who attended the press conference, emphasized the broader implications. 'For every teacher that we're missing, we're missing those students that could be filling those spots,' Stefano said. 'Which means there are mothers and fathers who can't go to work. Creating a workforce crisis.' The event also pointed out the United Way's latest Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) report, which shows 45% of Somerset County households earn below the ALICE Threshold, meaning they struggle to afford basic needs despite being employed. The average child care teacher salary, $29,480, sites just $764 above the minimum survival budget for a single adult in Somerset County. Poll results released by the Early Learning PA Coalition showed overwhelming public support for action. Among 700 likely voters surveyed, 98% agreed early childhood education is vital, and 83% supported more state funding for child care teacher recruitment and retention. Advocates are now urging lawmakers to back Governor Josh Shapiro proposed $55 million budget item that would provide licensed child care centers an extra $1,000 per educator to fill vacancies and stabilize the workforce. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New initiative aims to boost kindergarten readiness with free developmental screenings in Johnstown
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ) — A new program is taking aim at the growing number of children entering kindergarten without basic skills like holding a pencil. Screen2Succeed, launched by The Learning Lamp, is a free community-based initiative focused on early developmental screenings for children ages 2 to 5 in the Greater Johnstown School District. The program seeks to identify developmental delays and connect families with resources to help their children meet key milestones before starting school. The effort, supported by the 1889 Foundation and other partners, is expected to expand to the rest of Cambria County in its second year. 'Early identification and intervention are key to a child's success,' Nicki Sliko, program manager for Screen2Succeed, said. The initiative uses the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), a 10–15 minute screening tool that helps parents and caregivers track developmental progress. Only 20–30% of children with developmental delays receive early screenings, according to the U.S. Office of Early Childhood Development. Research shows that early intervention improves long-term outcomes, including higher graduation rates and better job prospects. Screen2Succeed offers one-on-one assistance to help families complete the screenings and access free resources. Parents in the Greater Johnstown area can expect billboards and flyers raising awareness about the initiative over the next two weeks. For more information, visit The Learning Lamp's website or contact Nicki Sliko at (814) 262-0732 ext. 249. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
