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Early Childhood Education Advocates Call on Lawmakers to Sustain Funding for Indiana’s Pre-K Program in 2021 Budget Session

Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 17, 2020 – A coalition of Indiana business, civic and philanthropic leaders today unveiled a new name of their advocacy efforts and outlined their priorities for sustaining and strengthening the state’s pre-k program in the 2021 legislative session. Early Education Works, formerly called All IN 4 Pre-K, will continue to encourage lawmakers to invest in Indiana’s existing pre-k program while taking steps to enhance the quality, affordability and capacity of the state’s entire early childhood education sector, which serves children at the critical developmental stage from birth to age five. And as lawmakers seek to revitalize Indiana’s economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, Early Education Works will focus on high-quality early education as a critical factor for getting Hoosier parents and guardians back to work.

“The COVID-19 crisis has proven that early childhood education is the backbone of Indiana’s workforce, and our economic recovery depends on the availability of safe, quality and affordable early care and education,” said Anne Valentine, vice president of government relations for United Way of Central Indiana, the convening organization for statewide advocacy around early childhood education since 2016. “Meeting this unprecedented need and getting our economy back on track requires continued investment in the state’s high-quality pre-k program.”

An April 2020 national survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center and Morning Consult found that the widespread change in work environments brought on by the pandemic does not change the fact that many parents and guardians of young children still need child care. Forty-three percent of those working remotely and 49% of those working in-person reported needing formal child care. Nearly a quarter (21%) of parents and guardians working in-person reported reducing their hours to care for their children, while 19% of all parents and guardians reported taking paid (8%) and unpaid (11%) leave in the absence of a formal child care arrangement. For low-income Hoosier families who the state’s On My Way Pre-K program currently serves, barriers to accessing quality, affordable early childhood education jeopardizes their participation in the workforce and economic stability.

“High-quality early child care and education is a concern for all Hoosier caregivers, but it is especially urgent for low-income families who do not have alternatives and whose children stand to benefit the most from On My Way Pre-K,” said Mary Chandler, vice president of community relations for Cummins Inc.. “Indiana’s employers need to attract the best talent to our state and for our employees to be fully engaged in the work that will propel our economy forward. That’s why as our lawmakers allocate the state’s limited resources this budget session, early childhood education must be prioritized.”

Indiana has made significant strides to improve the access, quality and affordability of early childhood education. Since 2015, Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K program has served 15,818 children from low-income families across the state and has increased the number of high-quality rated pre-k programs across the state by 80 percent. At the same time, capacity remains a challenge – just 16% of children in need of care statewide are enrolled in a high-quality program – and federal spending on early childhood education in Indiana continues to outpace state investments by more than 15:1. To continue Indiana’s positive momentum, Early Education Works will advocate for the following policies in 2021 and beyond:  

• Continue to thoughtfully expand Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K program to serve more children from low-income households across the state;

• Increase provider participation and advancement in Paths to QUALITY while tying the state’s rating system to clearly defined learning outcomes;

• Establish an integrated data system to report on early childhood education supply and demand in real time across state agencies;

• Incentivize the creation of provider networks and other shared services to create the economies of scale required to sustain low-margin early childhood education providers;

• Strategically invest existing Child Care and Development Fund dollars to reduce market volatility and stabilize a critical supply of high-quality care in communities statewide, while maintaining family choice; and

• Invest in new and existing preparation pathways and retention strategies to efficiently build and maintain the caliber and supply of the early childhood education talent pool.

“Through continued commitment and pragmatic policy, Indiana can create an early childhood education program that drives economic recovery and sets the next generation up for success in work and life,” said Valentine. “We’ve made laudable progress, but work remains to realize the full potential of early childhood education as a powerful, enduring investment in today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.”

Myriad studies show that high-quality early childhood education leads to early school success, reduces grade retention and increases high school graduation rates. Research also finds that investments in early childhood education can help close achievement gaps linked to race and income status. In Indiana, a 2017 FSSA report found that children participating in the On My Way Pre-K program gained skills at a higher rate than their peers who did not attend pre-k, and these gains were maintained over the summer and into kindergarten. An analysis from the Indiana University Public Policy Institute that same year found that every dollar invested in high-quality early childhood returns at least $4 in reduced spending and higher lifetime earnings to the state.

Early Education Works invites other organizations and individuals to join their advocacy efforts at EarlyEducationWorks.org.

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About Early Education Works
Early Education Works is bipartisan, statewide coalition of state and local chambers, employers, academia, nonprofits, early care and education experts in Indiana. The coalition advocates for the sustained progress for early childhood education across Indiana and is guided by a commitment to access, quality and affordability. Early Education Works will encourage lawmakers to invest in and take steps to improve the state’s early childhood education ecosystems so that Indiana can reap the benefits of this powerful, enduring and two-generational workforce solution. The statewide coalition was convened by United Way of Central Indiana in 2017.

About United Way of Central Indiana
United Way is a community of donors, advocates, volunteers, and partners who fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. United Way invites all members of our community to LIVE UNITED by giving, advocating and volunteering to improve lives in Central Indiana. Visit www.uwci.org to learn more.