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Last updated on Wednesday, March 29, 2017
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) wants to remind low-income families in the five pilot counties (Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh) that the deadline to register their children to receive high-quality, prekindergarten education through the On My Way Pre-K program for the 2017/2018 school year is this Friday, March 31, 2017.
Families residing in Allen, Jackson, Lake and Vanderburgh Counties must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply:
The family must have an income below 127 percent of the federal poverty level.
The child must be 4 years old by August 1, 2017, and starting kindergarten in July/August 2017.
In Marion County, the same criteria apply as those listed above. However, the city of Indianapolis is providing additional funding in Marion County through its Indy Preschool Scholarship Program (Indy PSP). And while families can apply to Indy PSP and On My Way Pre-K using a single application, the Indy PSP funding will add eligibility in Marion County for children who are 3 or 4 years old and are from families living at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
It is important to note that first priority will be given to children in Marion County from families living at or below 127 percent of the Federal Poverty Level for both On My Way Pre-K and Indy PSP.
Once a child has received a grant, families in all five counties will choose from any of the eligible, enrolled On My Way Pre-K programs. OECOSL has enrolled 262 On My Way Pre-K providers in the five pilot counties, and the application process for new providers is ongoing. In order to qualify, the program must be top-ranked at level 3 or level 4 on Paths to QUALITY or be accredited by an approved national or regional accrediting body (Click here for details on provider eligibility).
Applications for limited spots will be accepted until March 31, 2017. If more families qualify than there are grants available, awards will be made through a randomized lottery process.
Approved pre-K programs may be located in a public or private school, licensed child care center, licensed home or registered ministry as long as that program meets the quality requirements and is registered as an On My Way Pre-K Provider. Families may choose from a program that is full-day or part-day, as well as from programs that end with the school year or continue through the summer. A list of approved pre-K providers can be found here. Families who need help finding an approved pre-K program can also call 1-800-299-1627 for assistance from an early learning referral specialist.
To apply in Allen County, http://www.in.gov/fssa/4947.htm
To apply in Jackson County, http://www.in.gov/fssa/4948.htm
To apply in Lake County, http://www.in.gov/fssa/4949.htm
To apply in Marion County, http://www.in.gov/fssa/4950.htm
To apply in Vanderburgh County, http://www.in.gov/fssa/4951.htm
More than 2,400 children who will begin kindergarten in July or August of 2017 are currently participating in the second full year of On My Way Pre-K, which began in Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties in July/August of 2016. More than 2,700 children have participated in previous cohorts of the pilot program, from January 2015 through August 2016.
On My Way Pre-K is the name of Indiana's first state-funded prekindergarten program, which was approved as a five-county pilot by the Indiana General Assembly in 2014. For more information, visit www.onmywayprek.org.
The Indy Preschool Scholarship Program (Indy PSP) is the city of Indianapolis's first ever preschool program that provides free scholarships for children from low-income families to attend quality preschools. Indy PSP is partnering with On My Way Pre-K to expand access to preschool for families in Marion County. The United Way of Central Indiana will provide program administration support by managing the application, outreach, and evaluation processes. Visit www.indypsp.org for more information.
The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).
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