Preschool Development Grant
Indiana’s Preschool Development Grant Efforts
In 2019, Indiana was awarded a Preschool Development Grant, marking a significant step toward bolstering early childhood education throughout the state. The grant, aimed at enhancing the quality of and access to care for families, has since led to numerous key accomplishments that have improved the state’s care infrastructure and resources.
Building upon this momentum, Indiana was recently awarded a Preschool Development Renewal Grant, a joint effort by the Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and the Indiana Department of Education. The $42M award is intended to complement and accelerate the transformative work already underway. The multi-year effort to enhance and build early childhood education programs, particularly in underserved areas, further reinforces Indiana's commitment to early childhood education.
2023 Preschool Development Grant Priorities
Planning
Refreshing the state’s birth-to-five (B-5) strategic plan to reflect current needs and opportunities to drive system-level change.
Access
Investing in the expansion of high-quality early care and education programs in underserved geographies.
Quality
Enhancing instructional practices, quality measures and birth-to-age 8 coordination efforts.
Workforce
Strengthening the workforce through new attraction, training and retention strategies.
Family Engagement
Amplifying the voice of families in policy planning and decision-making and introducing new educational supports.
Implementation partners
The state is grateful for the early learning stakeholders helping to realize the full potential of the grant and the opportunities presented by carrying out the planned efforts.
2019 Grant Recap
In 2019, Indiana received a federal Preschool Development Grant, marking the beginning of a comprehensive effort to bolster the statewide early childhood education system. Since then, funding has supported providers, families and children across communities to better understand how to create a unified system that prepares its youngest learners for successful lifelong transitions.
The grant’s focus areas were strategically chosen to align with the state’s long-term goals. They centered on creating a comprehensive strategic plan, enhancing service quality, amplifying parental choice and knowledge, and expanding professional development opportunities for early childhood educators. This groundwork has paved the way for continuous improvement and expansion, further reinforcing the state’s commitment to early childhood education.
Stay Engaged
OECOSL works alongside stakeholders from across the state — including industry partners, early childhood and out-of-school time providers and community leaders — to directly inform early childhood initiatives and provide local-level insights. Hoosiers can stay up-to-date and provide input and feedback on these efforts at any time through our channels below.
