Goal: Meet the Needs for Child Care in East Central Indiana

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Child care in East Central Indiana, like many places around the country, has a capacity issue. Many communities have fewer than half of the child care seats needed, and some qualify as child care deserts, meaning there are three children for every one child care slot. 

Several East Central Indiana organizations and providers are working hard to move the needle, from opening new facilities to advocating for more early childhood care providers. 

Advocacy Efforts 

To meet child care needs, the nine-county region requires dedicated providers. 

“To grow the profession of early care and learning (ECL) providers, we must work to change the perception of the careers,” says Jeri McCorkle, program manager of the Training, Resource & Advocacy Connector (TRAC) housed at Ball State University.

“We hear repeatedly how important child care is to the economy, but these professionals have some of the lowest wages of any workers. This issue must be acknowledged and addressed to make a substantial change in the number and quality of providers.” 

TRAC supports ECL professionals in East Central Indiana by focusing on three strategic pillars: 

Education: Equip ECL professionals with the tools, resources and knowledge needed to provide excellent care and learning experiences. 

Advocacy: Work with community partners to influence policies, practices and public perception to create a more supportive and sustainable work environment for ECL providers. 

Awareness: Educate and inform the broader regional community about the profound significance of high-quality ECL. Establish a clear career pathway that empowers individuals to develop into highly skilled early childhood education professionals. 

ECL Availability 

More day care seats are on the way, thanks to the collaborative efforts of advocacy groups, providers and grants. 

Rush County: In Rush County, a former Walmart is being converted into an all-in-one community center that includes a new child care center, gym, indoor pool and more. 

The Rush County Recreation, Education and Collaboration Center has received funding from a Lilly Endowment grant awarded to the Rush County Community Foundation; a Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) grant; tax credits and a number of other sources. 

Delaware County: A new child care facility is being constructed in Muncie. Longtime local day care provider Janelle Kramer will run the facility, Kaleidoscope Kids. 

The Delaware County Redevelopment Commission provided funding to help support the $3.5 million development. “This is really a dream come true for me, and it’s the legacy that I want to leave here,” Kramer says. 

Kaleidoscope will be licensed for 180-200 spots. “We are in a community where kids entering kindergarten are testing below the desired threshold,” Kramer says. “We are also in a community that has so many parents not in the workforce because they can’t find acceptable or affordable child care. In order to improve our community, we need quality child care and education.” 

Jay County: The Portland Foundation purchased a former elementary school with plans to transform it into Jay County Early Learning Center. 

The center, which plans to open in August, will serve 125 children from infants to age 5. With a $3.5 million renovation plan, this marks the largest project The Portland Foundation has ever funded. Their largest issued grant prior to this project was $250,000. 

“The way we’re looking at it is that this is a generational grant for the community because this generation of children and beyond are going to utilize and benefit from this facility,” says Doug Inman, executive director of The Portland Foundation. 

Jay County is classified as a child care desert. Early Learning Indiana’s Closing the Gap report from 2022 showed 1,000+ children under the age of 6 in need of care, with the county only being able to serve 24% of those children. 

The project has received grants from READI, Early Learning Indiana, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) and the Ball Brothers Foundation. 

“It’s obvious there’s a need, and that need’s been recognized statewide,” Inman says. “It shows that to Early Learning Indiana, FSSA, the Ball Brothers Foundation and the ECI READI steering committee that early learning is important in Jay County and in the state of Indiana.”