Pennsylvania's budget deadline is inching closer and with it, questions about how the state will fund early childhood education.

Getting answers to the funding question will require shared sacrifice, said some state legislators.

If the state doesn't pay now for early childhood education, it will pay more later, said some early childhood education advocates.

"It seems counter intuitive to reduce funding at the early stage of a child's development only to potentially have to spend money as they get into school and begin to need remediation," said Jane Ervin, CEO, Community Services for Children.

By paying now for early childhood education programs, Ervin said the state could save taxpayer dollars in the long run.

In his budget, Gov. Tom Corbett, R-Pa., partially funded programs for head start and pre-kindergarten, but eliminated funds for the accountability block grant, which gives school districts money for all-day kindergarten.

The House restored nearly half the $250 million in funding.

Pa. Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh County, said lawmakers are crunching numbers during the budgetary process, moving money around and using a portion of a previously unknown $600 million surplus to partially fund programs.

Even so, Browne said the negotiation process is not easy.

"There are a lot of priorities here, a lot of important programs that invest in important initiatives of the state, and we are just trying to do what we can with what we have," said Browne.

State law enforcement officials said funding early childhood education should be a top priority.

Bruce Clash, Pennsylvania director of Fight Crime, Invest in Kids, said early childhood learning teaches kids how to follow rules, respect authority and become socialized.

By paying for all day kindergarten now, Clash said the state can save on its prison costs later.

"Kids that do not get the high quality pre-k compared to low income kids that do are five times more likely to be chronic law breakers by age 18," said Clash.

Ervin and Clash are urging everyone to contact the governor and state legislators to urge them to continue funding early childhood education.

The deadline for the budget is June 30.