Pennsylvania
Statistics on children, youth and families in Pennsylvania from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
Enrollment - Number of students (Pre-K to Grade 12) in Pennsylvania
Enrollment - Number of students (Pre-K to Grade 12)
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Why This Indicator Matters
In Pennsylvania, all children are required by law to attend school if they are within the compulsory school age, which is no later than age 6 through either age 18 or graduation.[1] States monitor school enrollment, attendance, and truancy rates in order to ensure academic proficiency and student retention.[2] Being enrolled and attending school is incredibly important as it is essential to all children’s long-term success. Pre-K as well as K-12 education has been associated with several positive outcomes for children relating to sociability, basic learning skills, general knowledge acquisition, higher education preparation, and workforce readiness.[3] Relating to sociability and basic learning skills, school teaches children how to interact with peers, show respect to authority, and master basic writing, reading, and math skills. Another central benefit of school enrollment is attainment of general knowledge pertaining to literature, science, geography, and history, which all serve to give students a deeper understanding of life in addition to comprehension of other cultures and lifestyles. Societies with higher rates of education also tend to be healthier and have greater economic stability, lower crime incidents, and overall greater equality.[4] Enrollment in education systems ultimately plays a critical role in guiding children so that they develop life-long problem-solving skills, find meaningful employment as adults, lead prosperous and happy lives, and serve as functioning members of society.[5] Due to Pennsylvania’s aging population, as well as an increase in home school enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students enrolled in pre-k to grade 12 schooling has been gradually declining.
[1] Education Law Center. (2019). When Must a Child Attend School? Compulsory School Age and Pennsylvania’s Truancy Laws. https://www.elc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Truancy-Fact-Sheet-Compulsory-School-Age-Updated-August-2019-final.pdf
[2] National Center for Educational Statistics. (2020). Enrollment and Attendance Policy. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/1_eap.asp
[3] High School of America. (2019). Benefits of K-12 Education. https://www.highschoolofamerica.com/k12-education-benefits/
[4] University of the People. (2022). Benefits of Education are Societal and Personal. https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/benefits-of-education-are-societal-and-personal/
[5] Habitat for Humanity. (2022). 10 Benefits Showing Why Education is Important to Our Society. https://habitatbroward.org/blog/benefits-of-education/
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