Indiana cuts childhood education funding, leaving families struggling

Indiana has slashed funding for early childhood education, cutting the state’s On My Way Pre-K program in half and reducing weekly tuition support for families.

Preschool teacher assisting diverse children with arts and crafts using scissors, glue, and colorful paper in a bright, cheerful classroom — Source: Lordn / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has slashed funding for early childhood education, cutting the state’s On My Way Pre-K program in half and reducing weekly tuition support for families. Advocates say this decision will push more parents out of the workforce and hurt children’s long-term learning.

The change reduces the number of children receiving On My Way Pre-K vouchers from 5,000 to 2,500 and lowers weekly assistance from $300 to $150. At the same time, more than 27,000 children remain on the waitlist for the state’s Child Care Development Fund, which helps low-income families pay for care.

For Indianapolis mom Cierra Ellis-Strayhorn, raising twin boys on her own has never been harder.

“With all the shortages, it’s making us single moms stretch ourselves thin. Working more hours, finding more money,” she said. “Daycare costs are going up, but the help is going down.”

Her boys attend Little Duckling Early Learning School on the city’s east side. Site director Jacqueline Strong said state cuts are forcing a 40% funding loss for the center, which means closing two classrooms.

“There are a lot of families that can’t afford full-price tuition,” Strong said. “Without the subsidies, they can’t place their children here.”

The funding reductions are dealing a blow to community programs in neighborhoods already facing economic challenges.

Indy East Promise Neighborhoods — a federally funded initiative led locally by the John Boner Neighborhood Centers and Edna Martin Christian Center — partners with more than 100 early childhood programs, about 60% of them home-based.

Edna Martin Christian Center is increasing outreach through its home visiting program, said Angielena Williams, director of early childhood special initiatives. The program works directly with families, promoting parent-child connections and linking them to community resources.

Jamie Scott-Massie, senior director of community and family initiatives, warned the impact could extend far beyond child care.

“Without these services, without wide accessibility, we’re setting our students up to have a much tougher time in school,” she said.