INDIANAPOLIS – As the new school year approaches, more than half of the available slots have been filled for Indiana’s state-sponsored On My Way Pre-K program. 

Hoosier children and their families are currently getting connected with high-quality providers in their area, as state law recently expanded the program statewide. Low-income families are encouraged to act quickly to see if they are eligible for On My Way Pre-K for their 4-year-old children as soon as August. 

On My Way Pre-K has served approximately 8,000 eligible families at no charge to them to help prepare young Hoosiers for kindergarten.

“Our research tells us that On My Way Pre-K children make higher gains than their peers in important aspects of school readiness such as language comprehension, early literacy, executive functioning and a reduction in behavior problems in the classroom,” said Nicole Norvell, director of Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning.

Families must meet the following eligibility requirements:

•The family must have an income below 127 percent of the federal poverty level.

•Their child must be 4 years old by Aug. 1, 2019, and starting kindergarten in the 2020/2021 school year.

•Parents or guardians in the household must be working, going to school or attending job training.

Links to electronic applications in both English and Spanish are available at OnMyWayPreK.org. Now is the time to act because space is limited and school begins soon. Applications are open year-round.

Families may call (800) 299-1627 for assistance from an early learning referral specialist or for other questions about On My Way Pre-K. Stay up-to-date via Facebook @OnMyWayPreKIndiana.