Indiana is slashing statewide funding for its pre-kindergarten program and advocates say it could reverse years of growth in supporting its most vulnerable children prepare for school.

On My Way Pre-K provides state vouchers for quality, free preschool for 4-year-olds from income-eligible families.

Earlier this month, the Family and Social Services Administration announced it trimmed back the program because of a state budget shortfall.

Former Gov. Mike Pence signed legislation establishing the program as a pilot in 2014 and heralded its enrollment. Pence later flip-flopped back and forth on his willingness to take federal dollars saying he didn’t like the “strings attached.”

Under former Gov. Eric Holcomb, the program expanded statewide in 2019. With a voucher, children can attend participating private and public preschools authorized by the state.

Last year, the FSSA said On My Way Pre-K increased enrollment to about 6,200 students, with federal funding assistance.

By June, the FSSA said it would limit available seats in the program to 2,500 in the wake of a 10% budget cut.

Since 2017, the FSSA’s Child Care and Development Fund has been a funding stream for On My Way to Pre-K, but recently it saw a funding decrease and now has a waitlist of 18,000 children waiting for an available subsidy.

GOP lawmakers pushed through early education cuts when a $2 billion budget deficit loomed because of a lowered revenue growth outlook, under President Donald Trump.

When the session began in January, Gov. Mike Braun sought $369 million for the Child Care and Development Fund and the doubling of funding for On My Way Pre-K. He also wanted to eliminate the CCDF waitlist.

The cuts worried early education providers and rankled one local House member.

“It’s going to be impactful to a lot of children who won’t have access,” said Karen Carradine, Head Start Geminus Vice President of Early Childhood Services.

Carradine said the state cuts won’t impact Head Start but will make a big dent in state provider funding.

“It will tremendously reduce state vouchers and the funding to pay for the vouchers. In On My Way Pre-K, they’ve changed the rules,” she said explaining providers will have to pay 5%, possibly out-of-pocket.

“That’s a big hurdle and children will get 46 weeks, instead of 52 they have to attend.

“I feel providers will be looking at how many they can serve. And at the end of the day, it comes down to dollars and cents,” she said.

The Gary Community School Corp. offers an On My Way Pre-K program at its Bethune Early Childhood Development Center.

Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said the district still isn’t sure of the impact.

“We are committed to supporting any affected families by identifying other resources and means to help fill the gaps of any shortages,” she said.

Meanwhile, state Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, voiced concern Monday about the impact of the On My Way to Pre-K cuts.

“Over 85% of 4-year-olds in Indiana do not have access to preschool. On My Way Pre-K is already an extremely limited program to help the most vulnerable afford to send their children to pre-K.

“Now, 3,500 fewer Hoosier children will likely not be able to enroll in pre-K because their families cannot afford it without the voucher.”

Jackson, a member of the House Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee, said the financial incentive for providers to accept On My Way Pre-K vouchers decreased up to 46% in Lake County.

“Reducing this incentive will reduce class sizes even more. Families who desperately want to give their child a leg up with early childhood education are being left high and dry,” said Jackson who added Indiana was one of six states that don’t fund universal Pre-K.

“If pre-K is a luxury that only wealthy families in well-off suburbs can afford, children living in underserved communities will be hurt the most,” said Jackson.

She criticized Republican lawmakers for cuts to early childhood education, but still green-lighting $1.2 billion to expand private school vouchers.

“This is not about fiscal responsibility. This does not help working Hoosiers. This policy is harmful for children, families and our economy,” Jackson said.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.