Community Action to suspend program
Effective Aug. 13, Community Action Southwest will suspend operation of the state-funded Pre-K Counts program due to Pennsylvania’s budget impasse. In Greene and Washington counties, the program provides preschool education to 190 3- to 5-year olds through classrooms located in eight school districts and five child care centers. “Pennsylvania’s failure to pass a budget including funding for the Pre-K Counts program leaves Community Action Southwest with no alternative,” said Darlene Bigler, Chief Executive Officer of Community Action Southwest. “Anticipating passage of a state budget at funding levels similar to last year, we retained some staff in July and August, but can no longer afford the financial risk.”
Twenty-three program staff will be furloughed beginning Aug. 13, and contracts with five child care centers will be suspended.
“It is our hope that Pennsylvania will adopt a budget very soon that fully funds Pre-K Counts, so that services can be rapidly restored for children and families who rely upon the preschool program,” Bigler said.
“I’m especially concerned about families who rely upon the care provided to their children so that they can work. The state budget impasse has also resulted in a halt to child care subsidy payments to child care centers so that lower income parents can work and participate in job training programs. Child care centers will find it very difficult to keep their doors open; parents will be unable to pay child care centers, and faced with finding alternative child care or quitting their jobs.”
“It is imperative that Pennsylvania’s budget be finalized soon, so that non-profit agencies can continue to provide services critical to the most economically vulnerable people in our communities,” she added.