COLUMBUS, Ind. – A coalition of leading community organizations and employers is raising an alarm about the harmful impact of recent statewide budget cuts to child care and early learning. Families, employers, and children in Bartholomew County could face significant setbacks due to the loss of vouchers and Pre-K support.
Leaders from Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, the Community Education Coalition, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC), Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation, United Way of Bartholomew County, City of Columbus, Cummins Inc., Toyota Material Handling, Columbus Regional Health, Greater Columbus Indiana Economic Development and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement on Monday highlighting the urgent challenges facing families in Bartholomew County.
As part of lawmakers’ efforts to close a significant projected budget shortfall, the state’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget includes significant reductions to programs that provide child-care assistance to low-income families, including Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers and the On My Way Pre-K program. Locally, these cuts will leave many families without access to affordable child care and high-quality early education, undermining both family stability and workforce participation.
While perhaps unintentional, community leaders say all involved must understand the local impact of the cuts:
- Child care vouchers reduced – Hundreds of Bartholomew County families will lose financial assistance, forcing difficult decisions about employment and child care
- On My Way Pre-K scaled back – Fewer children will have the opportunity to attend high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, limiting school readiness
- Economic consequences – Parents (especially mothers) could be forced to reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely, creating strain for local employers
- Workforce pipeline disrupted – Local employers stress that reliable childcare is essential to attract and retain talent and to prepare the next generation of workers
- Long-term harm – Without strong early learning foundations, children face greater challenges in school and later career opportunities
- Safety and well‐being risks – Lack of affordable, quality childcare will leave children in unsafe care, increasing the risk of accidents and developmental delays
- Child care providers – Statewide budget cuts reduce voucher reimbursements and limit new enrollments, putting increased financial strain on local child care centers already stretched thin
- Child care businesses – Face revenue shortfalls, causing staff reductions, closing classrooms/limited enrollment, or risk of going out of business entirely
- Inequities will grow – Funding cuts disproportionately impact low-income families
To help lessen the impact of recent budget cuts, fundraising is underway to provide local child-care and Pre-K scholarships. Cummins, Heritage Fund, Toyota, Columbus Regional Health, Bartholomew Consolidated School Foundation, and German American Bank have already pledged their support, ensuring families have immediate relief while local and state advocates work toward restoring funding at the state level.
The coalition urges state policymakers to reinstate as much of the early learning and child-care support as possible. While community partners will continue to explore local solutions, including philanthropic support, leaders emphasize that only strong state-level investment can ensure long-term success for Indiana families and employers.
Several local leaders have responded:
- Edie Blakeslee, President/CEO of Heritage Fund, said, “These cuts strike at the heart of what makes our community strong—families who can work, children who are prepared for school, and businesses that can grow. Without adequate state support, we risk losing hard-won progress.”
- BCSC Superintendent Dr. Chad Phillips stated, “We see firsthand how children benefit from high-quality early learning experiences. When students enter kindergarten ready to learn, they are more likely to succeed in school and in life. Cuts to early learning undermine not just families, but the future of education in our community.”
- Dr. Jim Roberts, President/CEO, Community Education Coalition, added, “Early childhood education is the first link in the cradle-to-career pathway. Weakening that link undermines our long-term efforts to build a skilled workforce and thriving community.”
- Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon said, “Safe, affordable, and accessible child care is a critical element in supporting our city’s workforce. For parents, knowing their children have a safe place to be while they are working is critical. Safe, available child care goes hand in hand with our ability to provide the workforce needed by our city’s businesses and industries to be competitive.”
