Half Southwestern Pennsylvania Counties Have No Child Care Programs ThatMeet Minimum Literacy Standards

August 16, 2004 Half Southwestern Pennsylvania Counties Have No Child Care Programs That Meet Minimum Literacy Standards 72% of the 126 school districts in southwestern Pennsylvania (and half of the area's 10 counties) have no child care programs that have met the minimal expectation for providing literacy activities.  Nine school districts have no regulated childcare at all.  At least 60% of the region's pre-school children spend at least part of their day in some type of child care program. Research shows that higher quality child care programs have a positive effect on children, particularly at-risk children . . .