Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K program will undergo major changes starting in the 2025-26 school year. According to FOX59, enrollment will be reduced from over 6,000 children to just 2,500.
Eligibility requirements are also changing. Beginning this year, only families with household incomes at or below 140% of the federal poverty level will qualify for the program. This is a reduction from the previous threshold of 150%. The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) stated that the changes are meant to focus support on the families most in need. A waitlist has also been reinstated for the first time since 2018.
The voucher coverage will now be capped at $6,800 per year. Any preschool costs beyond that amount will be the responsibility of the families. In addition, the state is no longer using funds from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) to help pay for the program, as per WTHR.
Hanan Osman, executive director of the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children, told Mirror Indy that the changes could significantly affect access to early education. The On My Way Pre-K program had previously grown from serving about 3,500 children in 2019-20 to nearly 7,900 in 2023-24, due in part to temporary federal pandemic funding.
The FSSA will hold a public webinar to explain the upcoming changes tomorrow at 1 p.m. Those interested can register or request more information by emailing [email protected].
