Who we are

How your child’s brain develops before age five affects how he will learn for life. By age five, 90% of your child’s brain and brain connections are developed! Thousands of connections that build language, math and social skills for life.

Why does this matter? Because the connections made in your child’s brain before age five set the foundation for all his learning as he grows up and become an adult. After age five, new brain connections are harder to make.

You want your child to be safe, well cared for and given lots of learning activities. Pennsylvania offers several programs for children from birth through school-age that are free or low-cost to eligible families that prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children, known as PA Promise, is a campaign to help families make good choices about their child’s early learning and choose quality early learning programs that are right for their family. The Pennsylvania Office of  Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is the primary partner in PA Promise.

Partners throughout Pennsylvania work in their local communities to educate others about the importance of quality early learning. These partners, Local Education and Resource Networks (LEARN), welcome the involvment of and support from families, early learning and school staff, nonrprofit organizations, libraries, business leaders, and others in the community. Find out more about LEARN and how  you can be a part in your community.

All the photos on the PA Promise website (except for family stories) are of actual Pennsylvania children and their families. We are grateful to them for volunteering to serve as a representation of families in Pennsylvania. We are also grateful for the photographic talents of Cecilia Lee who photographed the wonderful families. Read more about Cecilia and her special passion and committment to Pennsylvania families.