Children playing in classroom

Big business on small model

In the Northeast region of Pennsylvania, The PA Department of Welfare regulates 1240 early child education providers with an estimated 30,000 children enrolled. More than 600 of those providers are located in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Collectively, they represent one of the largest employers in the region.

Child care was once considered babysitting. No more. The state has developed early learning standards and early education providers are aligning their curriculum to meet those standards and, in the long run, better prepare young children to be ready for kindergarten. Head Start, a national program since 1965, has provided the model for early education in measure, although most programs lack the funding to provide the comprehensive family and health services that a Head Start program provides.

While the Department of Welfare monitors for various safety and health factors mandatory if the provider has more than 7 children, programs may voluntarily sign up for Keystone STARS. This program provides quality improvement, training, and monetary grants for participating providers who seek to move through STAR levels that equate to higher standards of curriculum, teacher preparation and professional development, and business practices. In Berks, Lehigh and Northampton, about 60% of regulated providers participate in STARS. Of those 373, 36 have achieved the highest level, STAR 4.

Through the STARS program, providers may apply for grants to assist in development of higher quality programs. Community Services for Children administers this grant program. So far in fiscal year 2009 (July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009), providers in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties have received $2,353,478.

All providers have the same business challenges as other businesses – marketing and customer relations, recruitment and personnel training, payroll, benefits, personnel policies, accounting, purchasing, construction and renovations, maintenance, and so forth. An early education center could easily cost $1 million in construction (10,000 sf x $100/sf).

Early education is big on the minds of business. Results from a poll of Fortune 500 companies by Zogby International several years ago indicated that business executives believe that quality early education is essential to future workforce development and a key to the US remaining competitive in the world. The US Chamber of Commerce devotes an executive level VP to educate and champion this cause (former Lafayette College president Arthur Rothkopf).

Last, reliable quality early education is considered an essential service by companies for employee retention and productivity.
For more information about the Keystone STARS program, contact 610-437-6000, ext 2303 or www.pakeys.org/stars. To locate an early education provider, call the Child Care Information Service in your county, or go to www.dpw.state.pa.us.