PennAEYC

PennAEYC was officially formed on October 16, 1983.  This marked the culmination of many years of hard work and long hours in both meetings and travel by a small group of dedicated people representing their local affiliate group.  Pennsylvania was one of the last large states to form a state affiliate.  Many states started with only a state affiliate and after many years local groups came into being.  In Pennsylvania, the opposite was true and it took a great deal of planning and devoted work to form the state affiliate.  PennAEYC represents all NAEYC members in Pennsylvania, including those in local affiliate groups as well as those unaffiliated with any local affiliate.

• Since 1983, PennAEYC has been instrumental in assisting new local affiliate chapters to form.

• After its formation, PennAEYC hosted hospitality evenings at National and State Conferences.

• In June 1992, PennAEYC coordinated a collaboration endeavor to represent the Commonwealth in the first National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development.

• In July of 1992 PennAEYC was successful in becoming the first state affiliate in the nation to petition the State Board of Education, Board of Private Academic Schools to accept the resolution to adopt National Academy of Early Childhood Programs Accreditation in-lieu-of licensing.

• The Pennsylvania Child Care and Head Start 1992 Statewide Salary Survey was completed in November 1992.

• PennAEYC has represented its members within the Commonwealth through presentation of organization Position Statements that represent high quality services for children, families, and early childhood professionals.

• PennAEYC produces a newsletter of state and affiliate information.

• PennAEYC filed articles of incorporation with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and was approved as a non-profit corporation in February 1995.

• In 1995, PennAEYC was granted funds by the state for a training and mentoring program for teachers and directors leading to NAEYC Accreditation.  The successful program was known as the PennAEYC On-Site Mentor Training Project. 

• PennAEYC has provided professional development opportunities through its public policy days, public policy conferences and other conferences.

• PennAEYC prepares resources for affiliates including the “full cost of quality” booklet, Week of the Young Child materials, Worthy Wage Day materials, and a membership recruitment workbook.

• PennAEYC has co-sponsored activities in Harrisburg to celebrate the Week of the Young Child.

• PennAEYC provided affiliates with candidate questionnaires and legislative testimony supporting quality programs for children and families in the Commonwealth.

• PennAEYC hired a part time Administrative Assistant in the summer of 2000.

• From 2000-2003, PennAEYC then engaged in an on-going planning process to strengthen the organization and the local affiliate chapters to meet the needs of its members, agree on core priorities, and develop as a high-performing, inclusive NAEYC state affiliate.
• After PennAEYC completed re-affiliation with NAEYC, the Board began research and development with the goal of a Harrisburg office and a full-time Executive Director.
• PennAEYC opened an office in Harrisburg in the Fall of 2008.
•  PennAEYC's first Executive Director began work on February 1, 2009.
• Hired a full-time Administrative Assistant, May 2010.