Indiana substantially expanded programs that pay for child care for low-income families with the help of federal pandemic aid.

Indiana is reimplementing a waitlist for two of its child care voucher programs: the Child Care Development Fund and On My Way Pre-K. This is the first time since 2018 new voucher applicants will be waitlisted.

A new national report on preschool access shows Indiana lags behind most other states.

The state's largest early learning nonprofit says 2019 was a year of progress and should set up 2020 to be "transformative" for early learning providers and families looking for improved access.

Enrollment is open for the state-funded preschool program aimed at low-income families. For the first time seats are available in all 92 counties as part of On My Way Pre-K.

The National Institute for Early Education Research says On My Way Pre-K no longer meets its definition of a state-funded program.

Early childhood education advocates have pressed lawmakers to make the move leading up to this year's session, and the state recently received a federal grant to study and build up birth through five early learning systems in the state.

The bill would expand eligibility requirements allowing children living with a grandparent or a guardian who has a disability to participate in On My Way Pre-K.

The Family and Social Services Administration announced the recipients of more than $1.5 million in grant money this week, for expanding the capacity of early learning across the state.

On this year's State of Preschool report from The National Institute for Early Education Research, Indiana ranked second to last for state funded pre-K access for four year olds.