Get on the way

More families have the opportunity to send their 4-year-old children to preschool this year.

On My Way Pre-K, a program offered by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, offers an opportunity for 4-year-old children from low income families to receive a grant to attend preschool. The statewide program’s eligibility expanded July 1, increasing the income limit for applying families to $45,000 from the previous $34,000 for a family of four.

Marni Lemons, deputy communications director with Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, explained On My Way Pre-K started as a pilot program in 2015 before launching statewide four years later. Since 2019, the program has enrolled more than 17,000 students in pre-kindergarten education, according to enrollment figures from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s website.

The program is a continuation of efforts to “provide high-quality early learning programs” to Indiana children, according to the On My Way Pre-K provider website. Administered through the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, On My Way Pre-K is “built around the needs of families” and has full-day or partial-day programs, as well as an optional summer program. (The Early Education Matching Grant program, a similar initiative, was administered from 2014 through 2016.)

“It provides all the benefits of child care for families who are concerned about getting to work while also providing a good pre-kindergarten education that we know works,” said Lemons.

As of Tuesday, fewer than five applications from Jay County families have been submitted so far for the upcoming school year.

“One of our less subscribed counties is Jay County,” said Lemons. “We’re reaching out to folks … (to) make sure people all over the state of Indiana know about On My Way Pre-K, which is a great way to provide a free Pre-K education for families with some limited income … to help get their kids ready for kindergarten and to succeed in school.”

The Indiana General Assembly extended the program’s eligibility as of this month, paving the way for approximately 11,000 children in Indiana to potentially benefit from the program.

Results from a multi-year study conducted by Purdue University indicated children who participated in the On My Way Pre-K program outperformed other students with similar family backgrounds in reading, math and language arts in third and fourth grade. They also scored higher on Indiana’s Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN) tests. A kindergarten readiness assessment measured by the University of Chicago in 2022 also found that on average, more than half of the students who participated in the program scored at or above target levels for language, literacy and math skills.

“For kids, it’s just like play, they don’t even realize that they’re learning,” said Lemons. “They learn all the things to help them be ready to really learn once they get into school. Things like, you know, how to stand in line, how to raise your hand and ask a question, how to ask for what you need.”

Approximately $37.2 million was appropriated this year in direct services to families for the program. A cut-off date for applying has not been set, but Lemons said one likely will be soon.

“We want to continue filling slots until they’re all full,” she added. “Also, it’s a huge priority for these children to get a full school year’s worth of education in there. So, I would encourage (families) to sign up quickly.”

Jay County has two On My Way Pre-K providers: Freckles and Smiles of Portland and A Place To Grow: Childcare and Early Education Services of Pennville.

To learn more about the program or fill out an application, visit onmywayprek.org.

“I just think, you know, it’s just a great opportunity for families,” said Lemons. “Apply quickly to help your kid succeed. Because we all know that parents want their children to succeed.”