Just 14 families have applied for free preschool under a state expansion of the On My Way Pre-K pilot program, which will provide 50 Monroe County students with grants to use at approved providers starting in January.
Jennifer Myers coordinates the Monroe Smart Start pre-kindergarten program through the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. She said the foundation is trying to raise awareness in the county, so more people will apply.
Research shows that early-childhood education has an important impact on the lives of children, “especially our low- to moderate-income families," Myers said. "Even one year of that changes the trajectory for that student for a lifetime.”
Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. While 14 families have completed applications, Myers is not yet sure how many will ultimately receive grants from the state.
In June, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced that 15 counties, including Monroe, were being added to Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K pilot program, which began with five counties in 2014. Families apply to the state to receive the funding, which they can use at a local public or private school, licensed childcare center, family childcare service or registered ministry preschool program enrolled in the program.
Starting in January, 50 local 4-year-olds from qualifying families will be able to attend preschool using grants from the state. Grants for 200 Monroe County students will be available at the start of the 2018-19 school year.
Myers said the slow sign-up problem isn't unique to Monroe County. "Overall, I think the numbers are just not where (the state) hoped for them to be," she said.