Jackson comments on FSSA slashing On My Way Pre-K

The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) recently announced several significant cuts to On My Way Pre-K. These cuts include capping enrollment at 2,500 children, down from over 6,000 enrollees last year, and slashing the provider reimbursement rates.   

In the 2025 state budget, FSSA faced the 5% budget cut that most state agencies did and were recently ordered to cut an additional 5% specifically from their personnel and technology budgets. The agency claims that the cuts to the On My Way Pre-K program are a result of the budget reduction.   

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond) issued the following statement:  

“I am extremely concerned about the recent cuts to On My Way Pre-K and the devastating impacts they will have on our state and our community. Over 85% of 4-year-olds in Indiana do not have access to preschool. On My Way Pre-K is already an extremely limited program to help the most vulnerable afford to send their children to pre-K. Now, 3,500 fewer Hoosier children will likely not be able to enroll in pre-K because their families cannot afford it without the voucher.

"Additionally, the financial incentive for providers to accept On My Way Pre-K vouchers in Lake County was reduced by up to 46%. Many facilities may choose or be forced to no longer participate in the program. Every year, I have families reaching out to me for help getting their children into pre-K because of the limited class sizes and long waitlists. Reducing this incentive will reduce class sizes even more. Families who desperately want to give their child a leg up with early childhood education are being left high and dry.  

“Indiana is one of only six states in the entire country that doesn’t fund a universal pre-K system. Early childhood education has been proven to improve academic performance and even salaries later in life. Additionally, access to pre-K boosts our economy by allowing parents to return to the workforce. The state should be pouring resources into expanding pre-K access for all children, not cutting it for vulnerable populations. If pre-K is a luxury that only wealthy families in well-off suburbs can afford, children living in underserved communities will be hurt the most.   

“Republican leadership claims that they had to cut funding for FSSA because there simply wasn’t enough money. I would like to know how they found $1.2 billion to expand private school vouchers universally so millionaires and billionaires can use taxpayer dollars to send their kids to private school. This is not about fiscal responsibility. This does not help working Hoosiers. This policy is harmful for children, families and our economy.”