Local public awareness and support is critical to providing Pennsylvania’s young children with access to quality early education. When communities value early education, more families become aware of available services and decision makers recognize quality early education is a priority for public investment.


Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Community Engagement Groups (CEG) build support networks in every county for organizations and individuals interested in quality early education. CEGs bring together early childhood programs, parents, school districts, and child-serving organizations to assess what quality early learning programs are currently available in the community and to develop ways to encourage quality early learning.  They also work with school districts and community-based early learning programs to develop ways to make smooth transition from preschool to kindergarten for children, parents, and teachers.

For OCDEL Community Education Resources to help you communicate the value of quality early education and your program, visit the Tools & Resources page.

Pennsylvania's Promise for Children is a statewide campaign to raise awareness about the importance of quality early education in a young child's life and motivate everyone to learn, get involved, and tell their story.

The Community Engagement Groups, Regional Keys, PA Key, and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) are critical partners in achieving Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children. In part of a team effort, the close partnership between the Regional Key and Community Engagement Groups is vital to developing a strong early childhood system within each county.