Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is ending free access to its full-day pre-K program. Instead, the district will implement a sliding payment scale charging up to $150 a week for families who don’t qualify for federal assistance.The change comes amid rising costs and state lawmakers’ decision to further limit access to Indiana’s pre-K voucher program for low-income families. The district has also supported the program through federal funds – including some that are no longer available.
“We understand the frustration and challenges that this information may cause,” the district wrote on its website. “This was not an easy decision to make, but one thing will always hold true: Our commitment to our students and families will always remain at the forefront — even as we navigate these recent legislative changes and their financial impact on our district.”
What’s changing in the IPS pre-K program?
IPS previously offered free pre-K to families both in and outside of IPS district boundaries.
Families will be charged on a sliding scale starting in fall 2025:
- Families who qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) won’t be charged. It’s also free for families who qualify for free Medicaid and make below 130% of the federal poverty level. These families will need to apply for either a state or federal voucher program.
- Families that apply for free Medicaid at 130% to 185% of the federal poverty level will be eligible for a reduced rate at $100 a week.
- All other families will be charged $150 a week.
The program enrolled about 600 students this year in full-day pre-K classrooms offered across 25 schools. The district also offers a half-day developmental pre-K program for students who have special education needs, but it’s unclear if this program will continue to be offered for free.
Why is IPS now charging for pre-K?
IPS, one of the few public school districts to offer free pre-K to families of all income levels, has been doing so since 2013. However, there have been signs of financial concerns over the last couple of years.The district dedicated about 8% of its more than $210 million in pandemic funding to pre-K. But those dollars came to an end last year. Then, this legislative session dealt a blow to pre-K programs across the state. Amid a gloomy state budget forecast, Indiana lawmakers reduced eligibility for low-income families to participate in the state’s pre-K voucher program, called On My Way Pre-K.IPS leaders said online that the change cost the district more than half its On My Way Pre-K funding. They’re not the only ones making changes; other districts, such as Lawrence and Wayne townships, plan to increase rates this year.Across nine other Marion County districts, rates range from as low as under $50 a week for half-day pre-K to as much as $265 a week for a full-day program with before and after care. Some private programs cost even more — up to $300 to $400 a week.Patrick McAlister, who formerly led the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation and now serves as an independent education consultant, described the issue as not solely an Indianapolis problem, but as a statewide policy failure: “It’s not the fault of any provider specifically. It’s the confluence of a lot of different factors that created this challenge for families. It really underlines the fact that we need to come together to figure out how to move forward.”Access concerns extend beyond IPS
McAlister is part of a growing coalition of early childhood education advocates urging lawmakers to consider ways to expand access to a free preschool education — something called universal pre-K.The increasing cost has created an access problem at a time when elementary reading scores have become a priority for state lawmakers. And, educators say placing students in a quality pre-K program can help. In fact, IPS leaders said earlier this year that students who went to IPS pre-K passed Indiana’s third-grade reading exam at a rate of 10 percentage points higher than students with no record attending IPS pre-K.Rep. Blake Johnson, D-Indianapolis, introduced a bill last legislative session that would have allowed local governments to ask voters whether they would support a tax increase to fund universal pre-K in their county. But the bill died without a hearing. Rep. Bob Behning, chair of the House Education Committee, told Mirror Indy this spring that he couldn’t square the bill with feedback he’d heard from property owners seeking lower taxes. However, he’s open to hearing more about the idea in the future.McAlister says he’s hopeful legislators will give Johnson’s idea another look in the coming legislative session: “I hope that members of the General Assembly are open to continuing this specific conversation about what is the revenue source that would allow communities to fund these programs themselves? Given the fact that this isn’t a budget session, hopefully there’s more room for this conversation to happen.”IPS’ pre-K changes come alongside the creation of a new advisory group tasked by lawmakers with exploring the future of public school operations in Indianapolis. The district is having a series of community conversations to kick off the effort. The next meeting is 6-8 p.m. June 5 at James Whitcomb Riley School 43, followed by additional meetings on June 11 and 17. (1).png)