Casey Announces Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $500,000 For Harrisburg Pre-K Program

WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $500,000 under the FY08 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill for the Harrisburg School District Pre-K Program.  This project is one of Senator Casey’s top priorities in this year’s spending bill. 

“While this is just the first step in the process, I applaud the Appropriations Committee for approving this request for funding this critical project,” said Casey.  “Decades of research have shown us that high-quality pre-kindergarten programs not only keep children out of trouble, they help children succeed academically.  I will continue to fight for funding for early education programs for my legislation to fund programs nationally.” 

Harrisburg School District’s student population has the lowest average family income of any school district in Pennsylvania.  In order to address the extremely high needs that the youngest at- risk students bring to school, the District in 2002 implemented a model collaborative School District, Head Start, childcare Pre-K program that has been cited as the premier model of high quality Pre-K for at-risk children in Pennsylvania.   The money will help the school overcome a funding shortfall.  It will enable the program to expose children to developmental elements including Emergent Literacy, Language and Vocabulary Development, Self-help and Self-regulation skills, Math, Science, Music and Movement. Since its inception in school year 2002-03, Harrisburg School District has been serving 3- and 4-year olds residing in the City of Harrisburg in a full year, full week high quality Pre-K program in 6 school buildings.  Harrisburg Pre-K Program (HPP) currently serves 560 children and families and operates its program in collaboration with Capital Area Head Start and community childcare providers.  The comprehensive program includes four home visits/year, two parent/teacher conferences and individualized instruction based on children’s interests and needs.  In May, Senator Casey introduced the Prepare All Kids Act.  The bill will assist states in providing at least one year of high quality pre-kindergarten to children. The plan calls for a new federal investment to be accompanied by matching funds from the states.    

The Appropriations Bill for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education passed the Appropriations Committee and will head to the floor for a full vote before the Senate. The bill will then proceed to the House-Senate Conference Committee, before final passage in both chambers, and it is expected to be signed into law later this fall.