Op-ed: I've been in education more than 50 years. Indiana must help parents afford pre-K
There's a misconception that preschool is only finger painting, play time or snacks. It doesn't help that Indiana treats pre-K as unnecessary, ranking among the bottom in the nation for enrollment.
As a longtime educator, I say it's time for our state to rethink its approach to early childhood education. Studies show the benefits of preschool follow students throughout their entire lives.
I witnessed the positives of pre-K during my 35 years in the classroom. My students with some form of early education had higher literacy scores and a better grasp of their letters. They had a deeper understanding of classroom expectations, sharing with their peers and participating in group work.
This followed my students into their teenage years – children who attended preschool are 11% more likely to graduate from high school. They're also more likely to attend college.
I believe many parents want the best for their children, but they simply can't afford it. The average cost of pre-K for one child is roughly $300 to $430 per week. Our lower-income families can apply for assistance.
However, Indiana is slashing the On My Way Pre-K program by 60% next school year. Only 2,500 of our young kids will have the opportunity to receive assistance for a robust early education. Those children who are enrolled will only receive $148 per week, which won't cover the entire cost. This will affect the availability of preschool for our less fortunate children, who are not responsible for their economic situation.
I remember when Indiana first started working to expand early education in 1986 with the First Steps program. I helped create First Steps because studies showed early intervention was extremely beneficial for toddlers with developmental delays. It took the state legislature about 30 years to reach the same conclusion on pre-K.
In 2014, Indiana launched OMWPK, but we haven't truly addressed the rising cost of early childhood education in the past decade. It's past time for Indiana to act on the ballooning cost of pre-K and child care.
As a seasoned legislator, I believe there's a simple solution: a pre-K tax credit. If Indiana won't invest in a statewide pre-K program, we should put the money back in families' pockets.
A credit would help cover the cost by providing $2,000 to $3,000 for families making less than $75,000 a year. Some states also give businesses a tax credit, encouraging them to help the parents they employ with the costs of pre-K or child care. Across the U.S., 26 states provide a tax credit to cover the costs of preschool or day care. It's time for Indiana to join this cohort.
All children deserve the same educational opportunities regardless of their families' wealth.
Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette) is an Indiana state representative.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Op-ed: It's time for Indiana to help parents afford pre-K
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Yahoo
5 days ago
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Op-ed: I've been in education more than 50 years. Indiana must help parents afford pre-K
There's a misconception that preschool is only finger painting, play time or snacks. It doesn't help that Indiana treats pre-K as unnecessary, ranking among the bottom in the nation for enrollment. As a longtime educator, I say it's time for our state to rethink its approach to early childhood education. Studies show the benefits of preschool follow students throughout their entire lives. I witnessed the positives of pre-K during my 35 years in the classroom. My students with some form of early education had higher literacy scores and a better grasp of their letters. They had a deeper understanding of classroom expectations, sharing with their peers and participating in group work. This followed my students into their teenage years – children who attended preschool are 11% more likely to graduate from high school. They're also more likely to attend college. I believe many parents want the best for their children, but they simply can't afford it. The average cost of pre-K for one child is roughly $300 to $430 per week. Our lower-income families can apply for assistance. However, Indiana is slashing the On My Way Pre-K program by 60% next school year. Only 2,500 of our young kids will have the opportunity to receive assistance for a robust early education. Those children who are enrolled will only receive $148 per week, which won't cover the entire cost. This will affect the availability of preschool for our less fortunate children, who are not responsible for their economic situation. I remember when Indiana first started working to expand early education in 1986 with the First Steps program. I helped create First Steps because studies showed early intervention was extremely beneficial for toddlers with developmental delays. It took the state legislature about 30 years to reach the same conclusion on pre-K. In 2014, Indiana launched OMWPK, but we haven't truly addressed the rising cost of early childhood education in the past decade. It's past time for Indiana to act on the ballooning cost of pre-K and child care. As a seasoned legislator, I believe there's a simple solution: a pre-K tax credit. If Indiana won't invest in a statewide pre-K program, we should put the money back in families' pockets. A credit would help cover the cost by providing $2,000 to $3,000 for families making less than $75,000 a year. Some states also give businesses a tax credit, encouraging them to help the parents they employ with the costs of pre-K or child care. Across the U.S., 26 states provide a tax credit to cover the costs of preschool or day care. It's time for Indiana to join this cohort. All children deserve the same educational opportunities regardless of their families' wealth. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette) is an Indiana state representative. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Op-ed: It's time for Indiana to help parents afford pre-K
Chicago Tribune
16-06-2025
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Indiana budget cuts threaten On My Way Pre-K
Indiana is slashing statewide funding for its pre-kindergarten program and advocates say it could reverse years of growth in supporting its most vulnerable children prepare for school. On My Way Pre-K provides state vouchers for quality, free preschool for 4-year-olds from income-eligible families. Earlier this month, the Family and Social Services Administration announced it trimmed back the program because of a state budget shortfall. Former Gov. Mike Pence signed legislation establishing the program as a pilot in 2014 and heralded its enrollment. Pence later flip-flopped back and forth on his willingness to take federal dollars saying he didn't like the 'strings attached.' Under former Gov. Eric Holcomb, the program expanded statewide in 2019. With a voucher, children can attend participating private and public preschools authorized by the state. Last year, the FSSA said On My Way Pre-K increased enrollment to about 6,200 students, with federal funding assistance. By June, the FSSA said it would limit available seats in the program to 2,500 in the wake of a 10% budget cut. Since 2017, the FSSA's Child Care and Development Fund has been a funding stream for On My Way to Pre-K, but recently it saw a funding decrease and now has a waitlist of 18,000 children waiting for an available subsidy. GOP lawmakers pushed through early education cuts when a $2 billion budget deficit loomed because of a lowered revenue growth outlook, under President Donald Trump. When the session began in January, Gov. Mike Braun sought $369 million for the Child Care and Development Fund and the doubling of funding for On My Way Pre-K. He also wanted to eliminate the CCDF waitlist. The cuts worried early education providers and rankled one local House member. 'It's going to be impactful to a lot of children who won't have access,' said Karen Carradine, Head Start Geminus Vice President of Early Childhood Services. Carradine said the state cuts won't impact Head Start but will make a big dent in state provider funding. 'It will tremendously reduce state vouchers and the funding to pay for the vouchers. In On My Way Pre-K, they've changed the rules,' she said explaining providers will have to pay 5%, possibly out-of-pocket. 'That's a big hurdle and children will get 46 weeks, instead of 52 they have to attend. 'I feel providers will be looking at how many they can serve. And at the end of the day, it comes down to dollars and cents,' she said. The Gary Community School Corp. offers an On My Way Pre-K program at its Bethune Early Childhood Development Center. Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said the district still isn't sure of the impact. 'We are committed to supporting any affected families by identifying other resources and means to help fill the gaps of any shortages,' she said. Meanwhile, state Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, voiced concern Monday about the impact of the On My Way to Pre-K cuts. 'Over 85% of 4-year-olds in Indiana do not have access to preschool. On My Way Pre-K is already an extremely limited program to help the most vulnerable afford to send their children to pre-K. 'Now, 3,500 fewer Hoosier children will likely not be able to enroll in pre-K because their families cannot afford it without the voucher.' Jackson, a member of the House Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee, said the financial incentive for providers to accept On My Way Pre-K vouchers decreased up to 46% in Lake County. 'Reducing this incentive will reduce class sizes even more. Families who desperately want to give their child a leg up with early childhood education are being left high and dry,' said Jackson who added Indiana was one of six states that don't fund universal Pre-K. 'If pre-K is a luxury that only wealthy families in well-off suburbs can afford, children living in underserved communities will be hurt the most,' said Jackson. She criticized Republican lawmakers for cuts to early childhood education, but still green-lighting $1.2 billion to expand private school vouchers. 'This is not about fiscal responsibility. This does not help working Hoosiers. This policy is harmful for children, families and our economy,' Jackson said.
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13-06-2025
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Indianapolis has a preschool crisis. Give voters a choice to fund it.
When my first son was born, I was flooded with questions: sleep schedules, screen time, how to assemble a car seat without losing my mind. But as he's gotten older, one question has risen above the rest: Will he be ready for school? Like so many parents, I've learned what researchers, educators and employers have known for decades. A child's earliest years are some of the most important. Access to high-quality early childhood education shapes a child's academic success, emotional development and long-term ability to contribute to society. Unfortunately, access to that opportunity is slipping further out of reach for too many families in Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Schools recently announced it would no longer offer free pre-K starting in the 2025–2026 school year. Families could be asked to pay as much as $570 a month, if they can even find a seat. In a city already struggling with childcare deserts, stagnant wages and learning loss, this isn't just a logistical problem. It's a crisis. This isn't IPS's fault. It's the result of chronic underinvestment in early learning, made worse by outdated state policy. Fewer than 10% of Indiana's 4-year-olds qualify for the state's On My Way Pre-K program. There just aren't enough dollars or options to meet the need. That's why I introduced legislation that would allow local communities to step up where the state has stepped back. And I'll offer it again in the 2026 Indiana General Assembly session. My bill would give counties the ability to hold a referendum to fund early childhood education for 3- and 4-year-olds. If approved by voters, those funds could support a mix of providers: public schools, charter schools, private centers and even churches. Programs would operate under the guidance of trusted partners, like United Way or Early Learning Indiana. It's a local solution to a statewide problem, rooted in community choice and accountability. The idea isn't ideological. It is focused on outcomes. Studies show that for every dollar invested in early childhood education, communities can see up to $12 in return through reduced remediation, lower incarceration rates and higher future earnings. Pre-K isn't a luxury. It's an economic development strategy, a public safety tool and a workforce investment plan, all in one. There's no sugarcoating it: Passing a bill is just the first step in building a universal preschool system. Voters will need to approve it. We will need to recruit teachers, convert facilities and invest in the capacity of current and potential local providers. But these steps are doable, especially with a strong coalition of parents, educators, elected officials and business leaders as advocates. If we want to build a stronger K-12 system in Indianapolis, we have to start by building a stronger foundation. That means making sure every child enters kindergarten ready to learn, regardless of their ZIP code or their parents' income. The path forward is clear. It's practical. It's popular. And it's possible, if we choose to act. Indianapolis deserves a serious plan for universal preschool. Let's give local communities the chance to lead. State Rep. Blake Johnson, D-Indianapolis, represents Indiana House District 100. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Universal pre-K can come to Indiana. Here's how. | Opinion
