PRINTER'S NO. 3065
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
712
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY MURT, R. BROWN, V. BROWN, BULLOCK, BURNS,
CALTAGIRONE, SCHLEGEL CULVER, DiGIROLAMO, EVERETT, HILL-
EVANS, KINSEY, LONGIETTI, MILLARD, NEILSON, PASHINSKI, RAPP,
READSHAW, SAYLOR, SCHLOSSBERG, WARD, YOUNGBLOOD, MARSICO AND
SCHWEYER, MARCH 2, 2018
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 2, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of April 2018 as "The Month of the Young
Child" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, There are more than 730,000 children from birth to
five years of age in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, A young child's brain forms 700 neural synapses a
second, and the circuits for key functions such as vision,
hearing, language and higher cognitive function develop the most
in the first five years of life; and
WHEREAS, The creation of these circuits is affected by a
child's early learning environment; and
WHEREAS, Young children learn best when they have proper
health and nutrition, a safe and stable family and home life and
activities that stimulate creativity, curiosity and the
development of all the skills they will need to succeed; and
WHEREAS, High-quality early learning and conditions for
optimal child development play a major role in a child's future
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success in school and in life; and
WHEREAS, Talking, reading and playing with children from
birth builds the language, mathematics and social skills they
need to be ready for kindergarten; and
WHEREAS, Forty years of research has shown that children
receiving high-quality early education are more likely to be
prepared for and do better in school, graduate from high school,
attend college and participate in job training; and
WHEREAS, Children attending high-quality early learning
programs are better prepared for the competitive work force,
including opportunities in law enforcement and the military; and
WHEREAS, High-quality early learning is especially beneficial
to children whose educational opportunities are hindered by
poverty or other circumstances; and
WHEREAS, Parents and guardians are able to be productive,
engaged and focused employees when their children are afforded a
stable and high-quality early learning environment at a
reasonable cost; and
WHEREAS, Research demonstrates high-quality early learning
saves taxpayer dollars by reducing the need for special
education and remedial instruction and decreases drop-out rates,
crime and incarceration; and
WHEREAS, High-quality early learning programs in this
Commonwealth such as Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental
Assistance Program, Keystone STARS, Early Intervention and
evidence-based home visiting are sound investments that are
preparing our youngest children for success in school and in
life; and
WHEREAS, Supporting and retaining a well-trained, early
learning staff is critical since a highly qualified staff is an
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essential element of a high-quality program; and
WHEREAS, The number of high-quality early learning programs
in this Commonwealth falls short of meeting the needs of
children in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Only one in six children is able to access high-
quality, publicly funded prekindergarten, and only 4.8% of child
care openings for children birth to four years of age are in the
highest quality STAR 4 or accredited programs; and
WHEREAS, Delayed investments in early childhood education are
lost opportunities; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of April 2018 as "The Month of the Young Child" in
Pennsylvania and recognize that each child in this Commonwealth
deserves access to high-quality early learning opportunities.
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