(INDIANAPOLIS) - Fewer than one in five Indiana children eligible for state-subsidized childcare programs are currently receiving assistance, according to a new analysis from the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute.
The report found approximately 300,000 Indiana children live in families at or below 135% of the federal poverty level and qualify for childcare assistance through the Child Care and Development Fund and On My Way Pre-K programs.
As of February, about 43,000 children were enrolled in the programs, representing roughly 19% of those eligible.
The report projects enrollment could increase by about 14,000 children after state officials secured an additional $200 million for childcare assistance. Even with that increase, the institute estimates fewer than 20% of eligible children will be served by the end of 2026.
The analysis also projects that more than 20,000 children could remain on waiting lists after the new funding is fully allocated.
Indiana's Child Care and Development Fund program had been closed to new applicants since December 2024 after enrollment reached approximately 69,000 children.
State officials have begun accepting new applications again and expect enrollment growth to continue through the fall.
The Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute plans to release an additional report later this year examining long-term funding and service options for childcare assistance programs.