Before- and after-school programs that serve nearly 45,000 Indiana children each day aren’t a funding priority in Indiana, but an influential state lawmaker said today that it’s time for that to change.
Advocates for after-school programs say their programs are vital resources, but they are often thought of as an after-thought to the traditional school day.
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s plan to spend $50 million for preschool for the city’s poorest children will tackle two issues: making sure 1,300 more children can afford to enroll and growing the number quality of centers in the city.
Low-income four-year-olds in Marion County next year will have a new route to preschool.