INDIANAPOLIS – For once, GOP Gov. Mike Pence, Republican legislative leaders and Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz all agree – Indiana should expand its foray into state-paid pre-kindergarten.
But they disagree on the scope. And some lawmakers aren’t convinced about the overall effectiveness of the program.
Pence had to burn a ton of political capital – and find $10 million in existing state dollars – in 2014 to get a pilot started. In its first year, the program served about 2,300 disadvantaged children in five counties, including Allen. The second year starts in August.
But there is no data attached to the program yet to gauge its value. A full study tracking the children’s performance through third grade isn’t expected until 2020.
Some studies have shown that disadvantaged children who attend pre-K arrive at kindergarten more academically and socially prepared than peers without preschool. But by third grade, test scores show no appreciable difference between those that went to preschool and those who didn’t.
“I’ve been sold on its need,” said Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne. “We need to bring more needy children into the program without blowing the budget. I think we proceed cautiously, but proceed.”
How to expand is a bit tricky and depends a lot on cost. There are several options:
• Expand the existing, voluntary pilot for low-income 4-year-olds to all 92 counties. Providers can be public, private or faith-based.