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Rendell Preschool
Plan Would Destroy Existing Early Childhood Education System
HARRISBURG-Today, The Commonwealth Foundation warned the General Assembly that
Gov. Rendell's universal preschool proposal (Rep. Phyllis Mundy's HB 1290 and
Sen. Allyson Schwartz's SB 800) would "destroy the existing early childhood
education system in Pennsylvania."
"Today, there is no government-run preschool system in Pennsylvania. This
responsibility has been faithfully and effectively taken up by private and
religious schools across our state," said Matthew J. Brouillette, president of
The Commonwealth Foundation. "But instead of recognizing the significant
contribution of these schools, Gov. Rendell's proposal will drive them out of
business."
Under the Governor's plan, tax dollars would be sent directly from the state to
institutions chosen by public school districts. "This will effectively exclude
the vast majority of existing preschools in Pennsylvania," said Brouillette.
"If the government extends itself into a sphere currently open to competition
between many providers, the private, non-profit, and faith-based schools that
have been loyally serving communities across the Commonwealth would be put at a
severe competitive disadvantage, and many would be forced to close," said
Brouillette.
But Brouillette said that saddest irony is that the Governor's increased
personal income taxes on the people working in and running the Commonwealth's
existing preschools will help pay for the government shutdown of their schools.
"If passed, the Governor's preschool plan will certainly be historic. Not
because it is sound public policy, but because of how it will destroy an
effective system of schools that currently doesn't cost taxpayers a penny," said
Brouillette.
"Unfortunately, the government's track record of failing to provide a
high-quality, cost-effective K-12 education does not provide much hope that it
can successfully run a new preschool school system," said Brouillette. "So when
I say that the Governor's plan will likely be twice as expensive to taxpayers
and half as effective for children, I'm being optimistic!"
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The Commonwealth Foundation is a free-market public policy research and
educational institute based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. For more information,
please visit
www.CommonwealthFoundation.org.
CONTACT: Matthew J. Brouillette, 717.671.1901
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