Dear Speaker Huston, Chairman Brown, Representatives Cherry and Porter, and esteemed members of the House Ways and Means Committee:

Early Education Works – a coalition of advocates for Indiana’s early care and education sector – thanks you for a responsible funding increase to the state’s On My Way Pre-K program.

As HB1001 moves to the Senate, our coalition stands ready to partner with you and the Family and Social Services Administration on the implementation of the On My Way Pre-K program and other efforts to support and stabilize Indiana’s fragile early childhood education sector.

Our community of advocates from all corners of the state is confident that high-quality pre-k is among the soundest and strongest investments that Indiana can make in its future success and recovery from COVID-19. Now more than ever, we must make the highest and best use of limited resources by funding policies and programs that are proven to strengthen and enhance the competitiveness of Indiana’s workforce – today and for years to come.

Pre-k is one such solution, and we applaud the Indiana House of Representatives and the Ways and Means committee for taking action to serve more children from low-income households across the state and empower their parents and caregivers to fully contribute to our economic recovery.

We are grateful for your leadership and diligent efforts to thoughtfully expand this program so that Indiana’s littlest learners and their families can benefit from the transformative power of high-quality early childhood education.

Thank you,

Anne Valentine
Vice President of Government Relations, United Way of Central Indiana
On behalf of Early Education Works