Allen County Tallies Pre-K Participation

Five counties were part of the pilot launch that started in January 2015.

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The nonprofit heading up one of the pilot counties for the state-funded On My Way Pre-K program is touting its "outstanding return on investment." United Way of Allen County says 220 four-year-olds are enrolled in the area’s first full-year group.

The organization says that adds up to a total of $1.6 million in funding leveraged for the program throughout the county. By last month, 45 Allen County childcare providers had been approved for the program, which is more than double the number that signed up for the pilot.

United Way of Allen County Chief Executive Officer David Nicole says "this is a phenomenal investment in our community. This program allows us to leverage an outstanding return on investment for our Allen County neighbors and ensure that our children start kindergarten ready to learn."

Overall, the Indiana General Assembly has set aside $20 million for the program for the next two years. United Way Allen County says for every $1 invested, the state invests $9 and several local organizations have committed to funding the program.