The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Pennsylvania

Statistics on children, youth and families in Pennsylvania from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

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Staff Needed to Serve All Eligible Pre-K Children in Pennsylvania

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Why This Indicator Matters

Understanding the number of staff needed to serve all eligible pre-k children is critical for ensuring states can meet the demand for early childhood education and address gaps in enrollment.[1] In Pennsylvania, trends indicate that workforce shortages in the early education sector are a significant barrier, contributing to a lack of available classrooms and preventing all eligible children from accessing pre-k services.[2] While the demand for pre-k remains high, many programs struggle to hire and retain qualified staff, which limits the number of classrooms they can open.[3] As a result, many children who qualify for pre-k are not enrolled, missing out on crucial early learning experiences that foster academic, social, and emotional development. Access to comprehensive data on staff needs highlights these disparities and workforce challenges, guiding policymakers and educators to allocate resources effectively and develop solutions to expand early education access across the state. [4]

[1] Garcia, E. & Weiss, E. (2017). Education Inequalities at the School Starting Gate: Gaps, Trends, and Strategies to Address Them. (Economic Policy Institute). https://www.epi.org/publication/education-inequalities-at-the-school-starting-gate/#:~:text=But%20we%20must%20still%20be,unmet%20needs%20and%20untapped%20talents.

[2] Pre-K for PA. (2024). State Budget Fails to Address Crisis in Early Childhood Sector to the Detriment of Working Families and Employers. https://www.prekforpa.org/state-budget-fails-educators-in-early-care-sector-to-the-detriment-of-working-families-and-employers/

[3] Khattar, R. & Coffey, M. (2023). The Child Care Sector Is Still Struggling To Hire Workers. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-child-care-sector-is-still-struggling-to-hire-workers/

[4] PA Senate Republicans. (2024). Early Childhood Education Caucus Highlights Need for More Pre-K Teachers, Child Care Workers. https://www.pasenategop.com/news/early-childhood-education-caucus-highlights-need-for-more-pre-k-teachers-child-care-workers/

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Definition and Source

PROVIDER

Definition

The number of eligible, unserved 3- and 4- year-olds divided by 10, assuming there are 10 children per teacher.

Data Source

PPC creates interactive maps with statistics by county, legislative district, and school district. Please go to https://www.papartnerships.org/resources-publications/mapping-tools/ for links to the maps and fact sheets.

Notes

In Pennsylvania, pre-k programs must have a student: teacher ratio of no more than 20 students for one teacher and one teacher aide in a classroom (2 adults in a classroom for every 20 students).

Last Updated

June 2025