MORGAN COUNTY, Ind. -- Plans to expand the state’s publicly-funded preschool pilot programs are currently advancing through the statehouse, but a Morgan County early childhood education program continues to grow, even without state funding.
Eminence Community Preschool is entirely funded by parents paying for their student’s tuition. It costs 84 dollars each month for a child to attend.
Last year, the program had nine students. This year, that number has more than doubled, with 22 preschoolers filling their seats.
Valerie Adkins said sending her four-year-old daughter to preschool was an important step for their family and she’s seen significant changes in her daughter since she started this year.
“She learned so much more about her letters and numbers. She can spell her name. Much more confidence and social skills are a lot better.
Eminence Community Schools Superintendent Jeff Gibboney said he’d like to expand access to parents who can’t afford to pay to send their children to preschool.
“We’re just seeing more and more that children are coming in and they’re not prepared for kindergarten – socially, emotionally, academically and behaviorally,” said Gibboney.
But he’s also hesitant about the proposed expansion of the state’s publicly-funded preschool pilot program and what it could cost
“My concern is I want to open up access to programs but at the same time I want to make sure that we don’t see our other programs suffer just to simply add in another program,” said Gibboney.
Tuesday, the House approved HB 1004 which will expand the state’s pre-k pilot program to 10 counties. That bill would also create a new pathway to vouchers for parents who cannot afford to send their students to preschool. The bill will now move to the Senate for discussion.
