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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 28, 2013 02:31 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative J.P. Miranda |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Requiring Day Care Facilities Licensed by the Department of Public Welfare to Provide Early Childhood Education Instruction |
| Memorandum TO: All Members of the House of Representatives FROM: Representative J.P. Miranda DATE: March 28, 2013 SUBJECT: Co-sponsorship of Legislation – Requiring Day Care Facilities Licensed by the Department of Public Welfare to Provide Early Childhood Education Instruction. In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to require Commonwealth day care facilities to provide early childhood education instruction aligned to the appropriate early learning standards developed by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning within the Department of Education (PDE). It is my sincere hope you will join me in this effort. As we are all aware, early childhood education is important in terms of a child’s future success in school and life. Unfortunately, large numbers of children throughout Pennsylvania lack access to affordable and effective prekindergarten programs. A certified day care center in the Commonwealth meets minimum requirements for health and safety, but certification does not address early education. In light of this, my legislation will amend the Public School Code of 1949 (P.L. 30, No. 14) to require that any child who is between the ages of 2 ½ and 4 ½ and is enrolled in a child day care center (and is not part of an approved Head Start Program or a Pre-K Counts Program) receives instruction aligned to the appropriate early learning standards developed by PDE. It is important to note that the parameters of my bill will not include a group child care home or a family child care home as defined in 55 Pa. Code (Public Welfare) because of their relative small size. The curriculum used in any child care center shall be standards-based and must be determined by PDE to align with established early learning standards. PDE will assist child day care centers in developing a curriculum to comply with the requirements of my legislation. In addition, child day care centers will be required to employ individuals certified in early childhood education and shall have an instructor-to-child ratio of no more than 1 to 20. My legislation will take effect in two years to give day care centers time to comply with these provisions. Ensuring our children are equipped with quality early childhood education is of paramount importance. I invite all members of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor this crucial legislation. |
Introduced as HB1484