Federal funds to ramp up early childhood care, education
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The state’s early learning infrastructure is getting a major boost thanks to a $42 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Education Office of Kindergarten Readiness, will use the funding over a three-year period to implement a variety of programs and initiatives.
The FSSA says the funding, which will be awarded on an annual basis in $14 million increments, will be used to implement program changes to improve Indiana’s capacity to recruit early educators and increase access to early learning opportunities for students in unserved areas.
“These funds come at a key time as Indiana has built the foundation for innovation through the collaborative partnership of FSSA, IDOE and the Early Learning Advisory Committee. Together we are uniquely prepared to best serve children and families across the state,” said Maureen Weber, chairwoman of the Early Learning Advisory Committee.
As required by the grant, the FSSA will contribute $4.2 million in matching funds each year, bringing the total investment up to nearly $55 million. According to the FSSA, the funds will be used to continue to identify and establish the needs, gaps and inequities in Indiana’s birth-through-age-5 mixed delivery system, as well as refresh the state’s birth-through-age-5 strategic plan.
The organization says it will also work to introduce new workforce recruitment and career pathways, strengthen instructional practices and quality measures, and expand high-quality programs in underserved geographies.