HARRISBURG – The Wolf Administration has announced that the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will receive a $24.3 million grant to serve low-income, at-risk children and their families. The grant, from the Federal Administration for Children and Families, will be paid over four and a half years.
“This grant is a great first step towards ensuring that every child in Pennsylvania has access to quality pre-K education,” said Wolf. “Pre-K and early education programs provide the foundation children need to enter school ready to learn.”
OCDEL, jointly overseen by the departments of Human Services and Education, will use the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Award to expand the number of infants and toddlers receiving Early Head Start services in the commonwealth.
“Early childhood education is vitally important and we look forward to offering opportunities for more families to succeed,” Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Ted Dallas said. “This grant not only addresses the needs of the infant or toddler in care, but the whole family unit.”
The grant also will increase the quality of child care, enhance staff development and provide comprehensive Early Head Start services to vulnerable families.
“This grant supports the department’s mission to serve the ‘whole’ student in their needs,” said Department of Education Acting Secretary Pedro Rivera. “We remain committed to providing educators with the tools they need and families with the support they deserve to have students achieve academically.”
Seventy nine organizations provided letters of intent in August 2014 and will be eligible to apply for partner grants, tentatively in March 2015. Further details will be publicized in the BUILD Early Childhood Newsletter and posted under Announcements on the PA Keys Web site: www.pakeys.org.