Body
WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC), together with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) works to ensure that children have the support and educational opportunities they need to grow and develop in healthy ways, particularly during the first five years of life; and
WHEREAS, PAEYC strives to ensure that every child in Pittsburgh has equal access to early childhood education in order to build a future workforce capable of competing in a global economy; and
WHEREAS, PAEYC is supporting professional development opportunities for those who work
with young children and families from Birth to Grade 3, with a focus on quality Pre-
Kindergarten services, in order to improve each child's chance for success in school; and
WHEREAS, public policies that support early education for all young children result in increased educational achievement that is crucial in young children becoming skilled working
adults and to the future competitiveness of the country; and
WHEREAS, the National Association for the Education of Young Children first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971 to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs; and
WHEREAS, growing interest in the Week of the Young Child inspired PAEYC to designate April as the Month of the Young Child as a time to plan how we - as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation - will better meet the needs of all young children and their families; and
WHEREAS, PAEYC encourages people to use this month to thank teachers, encourage early literacy by visiting the local library, and to support local, state and federal initiatives to improve quality and expand access to early childhood education.
Title
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh continues to support continued public investments in quality early childhood education in Pennsylvania; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh declares April 2015 to be the Month of the Young Child.