Indy's free pre-K feels like a secret
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
It's a really big deal that IPS offers free pre-K — and, yet, somehow not well known.
Zoom in: I just learned about pre-K eligibility for my 4-year-old a few weeks ago and almost immediately enrolled him in a neighborhood school.
- My wife and I planned to put him in IPS next year, but the preschool he's going to will help him grow and explore his interests even sooner.
- We've talked to other families who also just learned about IPS' pre-K program — and also enrolled their children.
Why it matters: Demand is high for early childhood education and Indianapolis has a rare resource.
- In a city where education is viewed as a barrier to attracting and retaining families, IPS' pre-K program is a selling point.
Yes, but: As IPS told Axios, limited pre-K seats can be a matter of equity, which raises questions for me.
- Is my child taking a spot that otherwise would go to someone who needs it more?
- If so, why are there still so many openings?
Between the lines: IPS offers great schools, but it's hard to navigate boundaries and lotteries — or to even know what those things mean.
- When our family lived in Carmel and looked for places to live in the city, I reached out to the smartest, best-connected people I know for help figuring out schools — and still struggled to understand the options.
The bottom line: I'm a professional information gatherer and didn't know about Indianapolis' free pre-K programs, which suggests a lot of other people are missing out, too.