The Indiana Non-Public Education Association is proud to be the voice of non-public schools, including preschools and early childhood centers, at the Indiana Statehouse! Please forward this message to your team and send names of anyone who should receive future newsletters to Andrea Anderson.

2026 Legislative Session Recap

The 2026 legislative session ended on February 27 - you can download INPEA’s session recap and listen to our final podcast of the session at the links below. 

While we are pleased with many of the outcomes this session, we are disappointed that the bill proposing the removal of the income threshold on tax credit scholarships through SGOs did not advance. Addressing the preschool funding shortage will be a priority for INPEA in the 2027 legislative session.

Free Strategic Sustainability Sessions for

PTQ Level 3 and 4 Programs

Mapt is offering free, individualized Strategic Sustainability Sessions for high-quality nonprofit early learning leaders across Central Indiana — made possible through sponsorship from Early Learning Indiana.

These confidential, one-on-one advisory sessions provide structured time to examine enrollment and revenue alignment, model scenarios, and think through difficult decisions with discipline. They are advisory — not evaluative — and not tied to funding.

A limited number of sessions are available. Must be regulated and be operating a Paths to QUALITY Level 3 or 4 program in Central Indiana. If this kind of organization-specific support would be helpful, reach out Weston@maptsolutions.com.

NAEYC Week of the Young Child: April 11-17

Join NAEYC for the 2026 Week of the Young Child® celebration April 11-17, 2026! This year is extra special: The Week of the Young Child celebration starts 100 days into NAEYC’s 100th year, honoring a century of dedication to young children and the educators who make a difference every day.

Share your celebrations on social media using #WOYC26, and help shine a spotlight on the power of early childhood education—celebrating NAEYC’s 100 years of progress and inspiring the next 100!

Indiana Early Childhood Conference: May 15-16, 2026

Hosted by the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC), this annual conference offers workshops, keynote sessions, and networking opportunities. The Friday keynote speaker is Dan Wuori, founder and president of Early Childhood Policy Solutions. Learn more and register at the link below.

Fall 2026 Early Learning Assessment System Opt-In – Indiana Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (IKRA) and ISPROUT

As part of Indiana’s system to measure and support kindergarten readiness, Indiana’s IKRA will be available to all non-public schools as an opt-in assessment for kindergarten students in fall 2026. The IKRA opt-in window is now open through Friday, May 15. The ISPROUT opt-in window for students ages three through five is also open for fall 2026. ISPROUT will continue to be required for children in special education, as well as children utilizing On My Way Pre-K funding. Administering ISPROUT is also required for all programs receiving High-Quality Curricular Materials Grant funding in 2025, however, any program serving children ages three through five is able to opt-in. If you participated in the IKRA or ISPROUT previously, you must still complete an opt-in form for 2026-2027.

Questions? Contact the Office of Curriculum and Instruction.

Professional Learning Series for Early Learning Administration

A new self-paced course, Professional Learning Series for Early Learning Administration, is now available in the Indiana Learning Lab. This course is designed to support elementary principals working with students in pre-K through grade one, and offers opportunities to enhance knowledge of early learning pedagogy and best practices while promoting leadership skills. Participants are encouraged to collaborate with school-based team members to support learning and apply concepts throughout the asynchronous course, while district-level leaders are encouraged to use the accompanying PLC Handbook to facilitate local PLC meetings with participating staff. Participants also have the opportunity to design a concept for an implementation project based on principles learned in the course and PLCs.

Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with any questions.

Early Literacy No Cost Professional Development

IDOE’s Early Literacy Endorsement Professional Development is available to current eligible Indiana educators who hold a valid professional educator license and teach in a content area that involves literacy instruction for PK-5 students. Eligible licensed Indiana educators may participate, at no cost, in Keys to Literacy. Registration is available here for those who are eligible, but space is limited.

Contact IDOE’s Literacy Center with any questions.

Early Childhood Resources

Indiana Family Social Services Administration (FSSA)

Early Learning Indiana

NAEYC

Indiana Department of Education Early Learning 

U.S. Department of Education Early Childhood Education  

ChildCare Education Institute

Edutopia Pre-K Programs

National Institute for Early Education Research

Zero to Three

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