Senator Lindsey Williams

Senate Box 203038

Harrisburg, PA 17120-3038
Room: 366 Main Capitol
717-787-6538
Dear Mrs. Williams,
I am writing with the concern for the issue of early education. There are many issues with this
subject, but I want to express my concern for the families with low income. I have provided
some resources to help explain my concerns.
The first resource being https://www.childrensdefense.org/policy/policy-priorities/early-
childhood/early-childhood-more-information/#child-care. In this resource you will find the statistics
regarding Early Head Start serving only 5% of eligible infants and toddlers in 2016, as well as
the statistic of center-based infant care costing more than public college tuition in 28 states and
DC. When reading these statistics, I was shocked, I use to work for a daycare just this year began
working at a Head Start in Harrisburg. Coming from a daycare which roughly costs $400 a week
per child to a preschool program which is free for low income families allowed me to see truly
how much there needs to be more done for low income families. This is so pressing because as
this link states https://www.childrensdefense.org/policy/policy-priorities/education/ less than half of
poor children are ready for school by age 5! The earliest years of a child’s life are the most
important, yet it is so expensive for there education.
I want to bring attention to the lack of education available for young children for working parents
and for those who make over the amount to be eligible to get into a Head Start program.
http://www.picaheadstart.org/eligibility.html This link provided is in regards to the Federal Income
Guidelines for 2020. If I were to have a child and need to send them to preschool I would make
too much by $1,500, even as a single parent working a full time job. This simply blows my mind.
I would then have to find a daycare which would cost roughly $400 a week and struggle to make
other ends meet, just to make sure that my child would learn during the prime years of learning
for a child.
I believe that The Child Care for Working Families Act (S.1806 and H.R.3773) signed. Doing so
would ensure that caregivers are paid a living wage and every family who needs it can afford
high-quality care for their children. With this act
https://www.childrensdefense.org/policy/policy-priorities/early-childhood/early-childhood-more-
information/#child-care and having more Head Starts made available for families with lower
income standards would help. Head Start is and has already been helping with the low income
families and education but I strongly believe with more Centers available with an adjusted
Income Guideline and this Act being signed that more could be done for families whom want
their children to learn.
Mrs. Williams something, I believe you can help with is pushing for this Act to be signed and put
in place this would help families with the support in the early years of their children’s lives and
helping them to do so. I thank you for your time with reading my letter and my concerns.
Sincerely,
Kristen Eldredge