By 2035, more than 60% of Philadelphia children, birth to 5, are enrolled in high-quality early childhood education.
When young children participate in quality early learning programs, they are more likely to experience success in their elementary school years and beyond.
In Philadelphia, the demand for quality early learning has exceeded the supply. A 2023 study reports that Philadelphia’s overall early learning sector has the capacity for 91% of its children (up from 84% in 2014).1 Of that total, only 40% is considered “high-quality” according to the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System.2 High-quality programs lead to increased school readiness and higher academic achievement, along with reduced crime and economic returns for society.
In order to provide more opportunities for Philadelphia’s children to succeed, we are seeking ways to increase enrollment in high-quality early childhood education.
We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to increase enrollment. Efforts may include activities that seek to expand the supply of quality seats in ways that are affordable and equitable for families, financially sustainable for early learning program operators, and supportive of an under-resourced early childhood education workforce. We are seeking to support projects and programs that organizations in Philadelphia believe will be most effective in making progress on this objective.
We measure progress on the availability of high-quality early learning based on the annual supply and demand analysis of early childhood education conducted annually by the Reinvestment Fund.
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