Whole child, whole future: The critical need for high-quality early ed
High-quality early education is more important now than ever before.
Children who enter kindergarten “ready for school” have an 82 percent chance of mastering basic learning skills by age 11, compared to a 45 percent chance for those who do not.
Yet data shows that “pandemic babies” are experiencing delays in all early learning areas, with social and emotional development at its lowest point in years.
Children need these basic skills to be ready for school, and this essential process starts in high-quality early childhood settings.
United Way of Bucks County is leading the way as one of the largest Pre-K Counts entities in Pennsylvania, ensuring that all children can access quality Pre-K.
United Way partners with 13 of the top local childcare facilities, providing state-funded Pre-K Counts “scholarships” to 450 low- and moderate-income children. These sites are located throughout the county, making it easy for families to find a convenient location.
These high-quality Pre-K Counts sites build a strong educational foundation for young children, supporting the rapid brain development that occurs from birth through kindergarten.
They take a “whole child approach,” which means families, teachers, and children are all part of the process.
This approach goes beyond academics, focusing on creating relationships that help educators understand the children and their environments.
These relationships allow early childhood educators to meet each child where they are academically and create suitable activities for all the children in the classroom.
Teachers use the early learning areas of child development – physical, cognitive, social, emotional, language, and literacy development – to create an exciting, engaging, and positive learning environment.
This “whole child approach” lays the foundation for lifelong learning as preschool children move on to kindergarten and beyond.
Investing in high-quality early education today ensures a brighter, more capable future for our children and our community. For more information on Pre-K Counts in Bucks County, please contact Kristi Moreno, Impact Director for Education. 215-949-1660 ext. 108.