2021-22 PA Budget Overview

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released highlights from the 2021-22 Pennsylvania Budget as they pertain to early childhood education professionals.

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Child Care Works (CCW)

  • Child Care Services (level-funded, total appropriation of $156.482 million) to support low income families.

  • Child Care Assistance (level-funded, total appropriation of $109.885 million) to support families receiving TANF, Former TANF and SNAP benefits.

CCW is also supported by federal funding sources including Child Care Development Block Grant, Social Service Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The Corona Virus Relief Act, the CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act have made additional federal funding available to support child care.

Early Intervention

  • Early Intervention Birth-3 (negative supplemental of $27.958 million, total 2020-21 appropriation of $150.469 million; AND increase of $22.188 million, total 2021-22 appropriation of $172.657 million)

  • Preschool Early Intervention, 3-5 (increase of $11 million, total appropriation of $336.5 million) to serve an additional 2,000 children or 63,000 total children.

Early Intervention for Birth - 3 experienced a temporary decline in service delivery to eligible children during 2020-21 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but expects to rebound in 2021-22.

Evidence Based Home Visiting and Family Supports

  • Community-Based Family Centers (level-funded, total appropriation $19.558 million) to continue Family Support, Evidence Based Home Visiting, Family Centers, and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood services for approximately 10,500 families.

  • Nurse Family Partnership (increase of $132,000, total appropriation of $13.131 million) to adjust for a decrease in the estimated FMAP savings and continue Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) Evidence Based Home Visiting services for approximately 2,831 pregnant women and families.

As of July 2021-22, DHS plans to release a competitive Request for Application (RFA) to re-compete for all OCDEL overseen federal and state funded Evidence Based Home Visiting (EBHV) and Family Support Programs, All current OCDEL grantees will be required to re-compete for funding through the RFA process. New grants awarded through this RFA process are anticipated to begin Oct 1, 2021.

Early Childhood Education

The 2021-22 Enacted Budget continues to build on the state’s investment in PA Pre-K Counts and Heads Start Supplemental Assistance Program.

  • PA Pre-K Counts - increase of $25 million, total appropriation of $242.284 million to serve an additional 2,800 children.

  • Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program - increase of $5 million, total appropriation of $69.178 million to serve an additional 471 children.

Funding for PA Pre-K Counts increased $145 million or nearly 150% and will serve more than 29,000 children in 2021-22. Funding for Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) increased $30 million or 77% and will serve approximately 8,260 children in 2021-22. OCDEL is currently reviewing applications for expansion slots.

2021-22 Details

Get the details regarding OCDEL’s program budgets for 2021-22.

Also available is a summary level detail regarding the amounts and uses of all federal stimulus dollars received related to the COVID-19 pandemic for each program.

NewsHeidi Winkler