Indiana weighing expansion of pre-K beyond governor's $20 million in his budget

Even though advocates suggest increasing funding to $50 million, some lawmakers say they don’t expect to get much more than the $20 million proposed in the governor’s budget. That doubles the amount used by the On My Way Pre-K program now.

“I think based on the state’s fiscal forecast that $20 million is probably all that will be feasible this year at this point,” said Indianapolis Rep. Robert Behning, an author of one pre-K funding bill. “It is still a pilot ... Some people who even believe in pre-K, believe if it’s a pilot, we need to work through the pilot before we go more into the program.”

Bills proposed in the House and Senate would use the additional revenue to increase the number of counties that could partake in the program. Only five out of the state’s 92 counties were involved in the initial pilot, including Vanderburgh.

However, other methods of expansion are being considered as well.

Behning created a plan that would both increase the number of eligible counties and enable those with more money to participate. Only those with an income of 127 percent the federal poverty level or less are eligible right now, and Behning’s bill would increase that number to 150 percent.

In Vanderburgh County, most of the children within 127 percent of the poverty level were served by the pilot. However, when looking at the number of kids within the 185th percentile, the number of unserved children even with the pilot in place jumped to 389, according to numbers from On My Way. The Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee predicted an even higher number: 550 unserved four-year-olds in Vanderburgh County.

In the state as a whole, 27,905 preschoolers would fall in that category.

Markle Sen. Travis Holdman author of Senate Bill 276, said he will likely present an amendment to his bill that doesn’t make the pilot county specific. It would still double the dollar amount of the program. However, providers in any county could be used, if they meet qualifications and apply.

“I think it’s important so we can spread this program as wide across the state as we can,” the Republican Senator said.

He acknowledges that it may be more challenging to implement, but also said it would be difficult to get to full capacity by simply doubling the number of counties.

And doubling counties likely won’t hit those with need in smaller counties. Advocates of pre-K, such as the United Way of Central Indiana, think that flexibility would better serve Indiana’s poorest.

“We think the state would benefit from much more flexibility in that regard, so (Indiana Family and Social Services Administration) that administers the program can determine where the money goes based on readiness of county and demand,” said CEO Ann Murtlow. “It’s really important, because we don’t want money allocated to go unused.”

While students in Vanderburgh are already benefiting from the program as is, the need still exists in adjacent counties. In Warrick, 105 four-year-olds within the 185th percentile are going unserved according to the Indiana Early Learning Advisory Committee’s numbers. In Gibson County there are 88.

“I think it’s always hard when you see kids at the same level at a different county not offered the exact same services,” said Evansville Rep. Holli Sullivan, coauthor on Behning’s bill.

In Murtlow’s eyes, no matter which method of expansion is used, $10 million is just not enough.

“If we were to increase the funding for this by 10 million a year, each biennium, we would be on a 34 year path to serve the 20,000 unserved four-yearsolds in our state,” Murtlow said. “Kids are only four once.”

In the 2016-17 school year, around 2,400 kids are being served in the program statewide, 214 of which are in Vanderburgh County. Even though the pilot is still fairly new, there have been successes, said Lora Stephens, the pre-K project manager for Vanderburgh’s On My Way program.

“Families at that level of poverty just can not afford to pay out of pocket without some additional help from other family members or relatives,” Stephens said. “... a fair number (of children in the program) have not been in any early education setting and they really were able to grow and develop in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise.”