On My Way Pre-K Available for Local Families
Many families are still considering their plans for Preschool and Kindergarten enrollment next Fall. Experts say in some situations, the cost of preschool programs can be a deciding factor for whether 4 year-olds will attend preschool or not. On My Way Pre-K awards vouchers to low-income families so they may have access to a high-quality preschool program the year before they begin Kindergarten. We wanted to learn more and met with Kimberly Gordon, our local project manager with On My Way Pre-K, and discussed applying for voucher awards and approved On My Way Pre-K programs located in or near Kokomo.
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According to Gordon, in 2022, 94 Howard County Families were awarded vouchers through the On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) Pilot Program. Kim is working to spread the word about OMWPK now that applications are currently available online.
The first step is confirming your child meets the following qualifications: The child will be 4 years old by Aug. 1 of the current year and plans to start Kindergarten in the next school year. The child must live in a household with a monthly pre-tax income below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Parents or guardians in the household must be working, going to school, attending job training or looking for a job. Once vouchers are awarded to qualified families, limited vouches will be made available if funding allows.
Limited vouchers would allow a child to qualify if the child is 4 years old by Aug. 1 with the plan to begin Kindergarten in the next school year, and the child lives in a household with incomes up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level.
Once you’ve verified eligibility, you can find the application and many additional resources on the Indiana FSSA Website by selecting OMWPK and clicking the button that reads “click here to apply.” This will lead applicants to the Early Ed Connect database where they can create an account and complete the application. Additional documents are required in order to complete your application. You can find a complete list of required documents and guidelines on the Indiana FSSA Website.
Gordon said Howard County has 17 OMWPK providers that families can send their children to for a high quality pre-K experience. These include Bona Vista, Boulevard Elementary, Busy Bee’s Daycare, Dream Makers Learning Ministry, Finding Me Now, First Evangelical Presbyterian Church Little School, Kids At The Top 2.0, YMCA Early Learning Center, Lafayette Park Elementary, Little Rising Stars, Little Rugrats Early Learning Center, Micro Chips Early Learning Center, Sonbeam Preschool (Greentown), Sts. Joan of Arc & Patrick School, The Kingdom Kids Learning Center, and Young Hearts Academy. You can contact these providers directly for more information on their preschool programs and upcoming enrollment.
For more information about OMWPK and the application process, you can contact Gordon through the OMWPK website or directly via the contact information below.
Kim Gordon
On My Way Pre-K Project Manager
Email: kimberly.gordon@fssa.in.gov
Phone: (765)480-5135
