PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A panel of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania child advocacy experts are weighing in on Gov. Tom Wolf’s new budget proposal, with mixed reactions on how the money will be used to improve the lives of children.
Wolf is proposing a generational investment of $1.75 billion for K-12 schools, along with a $60 million increase for Pre-K Counts and a $10 million increase for the Head Start Program.
The panel agreed these are great investments, but are they enough?
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Children First Executive Director Donna Cooper said that adding $2.8 billion to the state’s rainy day fund is proof that more could be done right now.
She added that thousands of parents are still searching for quality child care choices, tens of thousands of children are at risk of lead poisoning, and the resources to improve educational and emotional support services for abused children are absent from the plan.
Carol Austin, executive director of First Up which works directly with early childhood educators, agrees that the funding was not enough.
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“We had hoped for more, like really more, given the crisis we are in and the critical nature of it, and being able to support families," said Austin, who also wanted to see more allocated to raise teachers' wages.
“We know that this is a field right here where they are among the lowest-paid. Close to $11.00 an hour, not cutting it. They could go to stores, retail, or fast-food restaurants and make more, and teachers are leaving in droves.”
Steven Rodriguez, president of the Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools, says the proposals for K-12 schools in this budget are a long time coming.
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“This would be a touchdown, and I for one would be spiking the ball," Rodriguez said.
He said the more resources children, have the more opportunities they receive, and he echoed some of Gov. Wolf's thoughts.
“If you don’t make that investment in the forefront with our children, then you will be paying a larger price in social services, prisons and all sorts of other things that quite frankly we don’t want.”
