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Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Indiana's new child care laws take small bites out of the larger issue
Children play with crafts at the home daycare run by Janna Rodriguez, who has spent more than a decade in child care. (Photo provided by Janna Rodriguez) For the more than 850,000 Indiana children who are infants through 9 years old, only 763 licensed child care centers exist to take care of them when their parents cannot. Because of this, a CNBC study ranked Indiana almost at the bottom for quality of life, with the worst access to child care in the country. At the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, Indiana Senate Democrats prioritized child care in their agenda, writing that they hoped to fully fund the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), a child care subsidy for low-income families. But with the session ending April 24, their goal did not come to fruition in the supermajority Republican General Assembly. A 2024 study by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce found that over half of Hoosier parents miss work or class because they cannot find child care. Absenteeism and employee turnover caused by this struggle creates an estimated $3.05 billion in losses for Hoosier employers each year. Vanessa Green Sinders, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber, told in January that child care desserts like Indiana deter potential workers from coming to the state. 'We are such a great state to do business in, and we have so much economic development going on, … but that enthusiasm and that economic development is going to take more workforce,' Sinders said. The Indiana General Assembly did not allot funding in the state budget to give Hoosiers universal, affordable child care through the CCDF, On My Way Pre-K or any other program. Instead, lawmakers wrote piecemeal legislation that addressed small parts of the larger problem. — House Bill 1253 was signed into law by Gov. Mike Braun on May 1. During a House meeting late in the legislative session, which ended April 24, bill author Rep. Dave Heine, R-Fort Wayne, said the Senate amended the bill to no longer require children who receive child care at a school to be a child of an employee. The Senate also changed the bill to allow multi-site child care centers, like a YMCA, to be able to operate under one license. 'It really will make it easier for them to expand but also, importantly, maintain the ability of the state to, you know, inspect and hold accountable those individual sites without jeopardizing the functioning of the entire enterprise,' Sam Snideman, vice president of government relations for United Way of Central Indiana, told The most important Senate amendment, in Heine's opinion, was the addition of language that allows in-home child care centers to continue operation as class two structures as long as they are licensed in that category before July 1. 'This is very important language that was added because right now, we have 43 child care facilities providing child care to approximately 800 children that could be at risk of closing down if we did not add this language,' Heine said in the House meeting. — Senate Bill 463, also signed by Braun May 1, would give a tax credit to employers who offer near or onsite child care to their employees. Snideman said adding this option would make employers who opt into the tax credit more competitive in Indiana's job market because employees with kids might choose to work there for child care. The new law will also expand the Micro-Facility Pilot Program, a project that allows existing child care centers to open small, non-residential ones that serve three to 30 children. Sinders said the Indiana Chamber supported SB 463 and HB 1253 because they attempt to make child care more affordable and accessible in Indiana. — House Bill 1248, signed into law April 10, sets aside CCDF funds for foster families who receive last-minute placements. 'We don't want to disadvantage those folks who are doing, you know, really important work or, you know, quite honestly disrupt the care for kids who are already facing tremendous challenges.' Snideman said. — House Bill 1102, another child care bill that reached the governor's desk, receiving his signature April 3, will allow schools to enter contracts with religiously affiliated, nonprofit pre-K sites that offer child care. Snideman said this will create more potential providers for Hoosier families. Snideman believes the reason Indiana has not invested fully in CDDF and other government-funded child care initiatives is because the issue is so broad. But both he and Sinders believe there's room for optimism. 'I think about it from a positive perspective,' Sinders said. 'The legislature is willing to continue to work on this issue and continue to try to make progress. … Every bite at the apple helps get you to the solution.' Snideman is even more confident about the possibility of universal child care in Indiana's future. 'We are committed to expanding opportunities for Hoosiers in this space,' he said, 'which means we will be committed to this long, incremental process of us getting to a place where eventually, you know, every family in our state who wants and needs to send their kids to pre-K or to child care will have that opportunity. This piece is from as part of the Statehouse Reporting Project, a collaborative effort by collegiate journalism programs operating in statehouses across the country.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Latest report on the wellbeing of Hoosier youth gives Indiana a mixed report card
Members of the audience in the Indiana House on Monday respond to the annual State of the Child address, which revealed that Indiana's high-school graduation rate is over 90%, the highest it has been in over a decade. (Photo by Kate Breeden/ Charlotte, 8, excitedly pulled a pink pair of sunglasses out of the drawstring bag from MCCOY, the Marion County Commission on Youth. She used a bench in the lobby of the Indiana Statehouse Monday morning as a ramp for a fidget spinner, saying her favorite part of her visit to the state capitol was the new toys. While she, and other children, were excited about the trinkets and candy, they were there with family members, lawmakers and advocates focused on something else: How are Indiana's children doing? The annual Day of the Child event marks the release of the Indiana Youth Institute's (IYI) report on the wellbeing of Hoosier children. The report focuses on four categories: family and community, health, economic wellbeing, and education. Monday marked the ninth year for the event and 31st for the report. Charlotte was joined by her grandmother, October S. Kniess, who worked in family law for 25 years and is now an educator. 'I'm not going to stop trying to find ways to help young people,' said Kniess. She said the Day of the Child is important because it brings focus to issues impacting children and allows a view of who in Indiana is helping youth. The day opened in the House chamber, where Tami Silverman, president and CEO of IYI, began a summary of this year's report, which covered Indiana's more than 1.5 million children. There is a saying that the greatest responsibility of any generation is to care for the generations that follow. – Tami Silverman, president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute A look at last year's report is here. 'Whether it's at the Indiana Statehouse or out across the state, we all work together to serve our kids,' said Silverman. She described the study as a 'report card for adults.' 'Technology has changed, the times have changed. At the same time, the feelings of childhood have not changed that much,' said Silverman. 'We all were children once. … 'There is a saying that the greatest responsibility of any generation is to care for the generations that follow.' The 146-page Indiana Kids Count Data Book ranked Indiana 27th in the country for overall child wellbeing. This ranking was derived from data in the four outlined categories, and the information was collected considering age, gender, race, ethnicity, place of birth, language, household type and religion. 'Within that data, there is a lot of encouraging stories,' said Silverman. Teen birth rates are down, more mental-health providers are available, household median family income has increased, and child poverty is the lowest it has been in a decade. On the other side of the coin, just 40% of 3- and 4-year-olds in Indiana are enrolled in early childhood education, childhood food insecurity has increased, and only 40% of students in grades 3-8 passed both math and language arts state testing. 'As for learning in this country, and in our state, we still have significant work to do to help our kids catch up,' said Silverman. Children have also been less involved in civic engagement like volunteering. 'We're known for Hoosier hospitality and for showing up, and we need to be instilling that exact same value in the next generation,' said Silverman. In addition to lower civic engagement, only 23% of 6- to 17-year-olds played a sport or participated in an hour of daily activity. The number is above the national average but still far below the majority of kids. Silverman emphasized the state's love for sports and how we can extend that to youth. 'In our state, we live for competition. But at the same time, we are not meant to be just spectators,' said Silverman. On a national scale, more Indiana children live in neighborhoods that don't have parks, recreation centers or libraries. Continuing through the report, Silverman said more than 18,000 Indiana children experienced foster care in 2024. Four students from Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) shared how the program helped them overcome adversity in their lives. JAG student Shelby Williams was adopted at 10 months old. 'That led to a sense of abandonment, and I struggled to adjust,' she said. 'JAG helped me realize that being different is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it's what makes us unique.' After graduating, Williams will be pursuing her degree in biology with a minor in entrepreneurship from the University of Cincinnati. She hopes to then continue her education and become a dermatologist. Gunnar Crispin, another student in JAG, was born visually impaired. 'Growing up in a world that was meant for people with vision had been difficult and even isolating at times,' said Crispin. He experienced anxiety growing up and often felt overwhelmed, and he began using drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. Overall, Indiana has seen a decline in substance use among children. Since 1993, monthly cigarette usage among 8th graders declined from 21% to 1.2%. Alcohol saw a similar downward trend, from 30% to 7%. However, rural communities are still disproportionately impacted. 'JAG became my lifeline. It gave me the structure, support and community that I needed,' said Crispin. He plans to attend Ball State University and study political science on a pre-law track. 'I will then go on to advocate for others like me and like others in this room,' said Crispin. While substance abuse among children is lower, Indiana's youth face struggles with mental health in general. The report found that almost one-third of teenagers experienced sadness and hopelessness for consecutive weeks, which then led to withdrawal from their normal activities. Children today have fewer friends, which they see less frequently. Additionally, smartphones and social media impact the modern social experience for youth. 'We need to reconnect our youth to the real world,' said Silverman. She emphasized the social aspect of the Statehouse event, that children had the opportunity to see government functions up close and personal and interact with lawmakers. 'We need them to connect to one another and to the things that they care about,' said Silverman. Makia Lucas, the third JAG student to speak, experienced trauma throughout her childhood, as her family has a history of addiction. In 2020, her father was murdered. Lucas went through therapy and began taking classes online, which led to social isolation. At this point, she joined JAG. 'It changed my life completely,' she said. Lucas began volunteering and worked at a local recovery center. 'Every day, I've worked to break my family's cycle,' she said. She is planning to attend Ball State University, where she will pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in criminal justice. She hopes to work for the FBI as a member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. 'Every teenager has something they care about. They just need to feel empowered to do it,' Lucas said. Thirty-five percent of youth ages 16 to 19 were employed in Indiana in 2023, putting the state above the national average. Indiana's graduation rate is over 90%, the highest it has been in over a decade. 'Part of our job as adults is to prepare our kids for a future that we can't even predict,' said Silverman. 'We want every student to find their purpose.' Angel Tunny, JAG president, was the fourth and final student to speak. Tunny was in foster care by 4 years old and was adopted by her grandparents alongside her nine siblings. 'Through JAG, I learned to open up, and now I have the support to be who I want to be,' said Tunny. Tunny currently works for the Indiana Army and National Guard, and wants to work in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit alongside Lucas. CONTACT US 'The important thing is to work hard and do your best, just like you ask of us,' said Tunny, addressing the adults in the audience. Silverman closed the speech by noting that the stories shared by the JAG students, while inspiring, are not guaranteed. 'There are thousands of Hoosier students that are waiting for their opportunity,' said Silverman. Progress has been made for youth in Indiana, Silverman said, but there is still room for improvement. 'Generations come and go in Indiana. They built this incredible, magnificent Statehouse. They passed laws, and they invested in our futures. Now it's our responsibility to pay it back, and we do that by paying it forward,' said Silverman. She called for more online protections and real-world freedoms and urged the state to provide students with strong starts. IYI will now travel to 17 counties around the state to provide data on a local basis. 'As adults in this room, we can make an impact, and we can be remembered,' said Silverman, 'because in the end, that will be our final report card.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fourth-graders lobby for a state fruit at the Statehouse. Here's what they're proposing
Homelessness, non-disclosure agreements, state boundary adjustments, building contracts and Bitcoin—these are some of the standard topics the Indiana House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee discusses. But this week, they heard from fourth graders about fruit. This specific fruit isn't your average apple, orange or banana. These fourth graders were, and probably still are, passionate about morning, the rotunda was filled with giggles and chatter as the young persimmon promoters entered the capitol. They were there to ask that the succulent treat become the official Hoosier state students' tiny suits, slacks, skirts and sweaters indicated that they were the official persimmon spokespeople and were ready to take the stand. Now, the typical readers may be asking themselves, what exactly is a persimmon? This newly informed reporter is here to enlighten you on the pleasant produce. Persimmons are a sweet, autumnal fruit that falls from the Diospyros tree. They turn yellow or orange when ripe. While persimmons are native to the Hoosier state, they don't grow solely in Indiana; they also thrive in China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Spain and additional U.S. states. Jasper Elementary School teacher Emi Donato spoke with about her students' journey to the Statehouse. What started as a fulfillment of the fourth-grade persuasive writing standard became a bill in the 2025 Indiana General Assembly. Donato's original intent was for the students to start a persimmon petition. Before they did that, they had to have permission from their school superintendent, Dr. Tracy Lorey. Lorey, who this month became the state deputy secretary of education, had a few tricks up her sleeve. Instead of helping the students draft a petition, she connected them with Rep. Shane Lindauer, R-Jasper, who drafted House Bill 1618, which would bring the students' persimmon vision to life. After attending a presentation from the young persimmon advocates, and with just a couple weeks left to file the persimmon bill, Lindauer made the dreams of Jasper fourth graders come true. 'I wanted to hug him even though I didn't really know him,' Donato said. 'I, like, how exciting, you know? The kids are going to be able to go up and actually present.' When the clock struck 10:30 a.m., they indeed presented. The Jasper five gathered at the front of the House chamber, braving the intimidating stares of grinning committee members who were likely excited to hear from someone without gray hair. Sawyer Sternberg was the first student to testify. He provided the committee with a brief introduction to his fellow students' testimony topics and kindly requested that they consider adopting the persimmon as the Hooser state fruit. Fourth-grader Grant Blackman then educated committee members by sharing the persimmon's many health benefits. His suit and tie may have convinced the committee that he is the state's resident fibrous fruit expert. With his tiny note sheet in hand, he boldly informed the room that persimmons reduce inflammation, contain vitamins A, B and C, potassium, and calcium. According to Blackman, they are also high in fiber, which helps with digestion, and are good for the heart. Classmate Sophie Gates testified next. She gave committee members a quick rundown on the students' beloved fruit. First, she stated that persimmon trees can grow anywhere from 35 to 60 feet tall. She added that the fruit is able to grow all over the state and flourishes in rich Hoosier soil. Then she informed the representatives that the fruit's name is derived from the Greek word Diospyros, which means fruit of the gods. 'It gets its vivid name due to its sweet and juicy taste,' Gates said. For a little historical background, she added that Native Americans in Indiana were known to eat dried persimmons. After Gates' presentation, Ariel Cox, whose small but mighty business casual attire may have been envied by Press Row, explained that Indiana would be one of 32 states to adopt an official then appealed to the committee with reason. 'Indiana has a state bird, insect, flower, song and river. So why not have a fruit?' Cox asked. The committee members chuckled, indicating that Cox made a valid point. After Cox's rhetorical question, Mackenzie Morton took the stand and informed the committee of the persimmon's economic benefits. She said the wood from the fruit's tree can be used for golf clubs, drumsticks, instruments, furniture and other goods that would stimulate commerce in Indiana. As a reporter who was once assigned the commerce beat, this writer thought young Morton's knowledge on the needs of the Hoosier market was impressive. After sharing the persimmon's economic implications, she added that the fruit is great to cook with. At Mitchell's annual Persimmon Festival, there is a persimmon pudding contest, which is a popular Hoosier persimmon treat. When students finished their presentation, the well-briefed lawmakers asked their burning Joanna King, R-Middlebury, asked the students if they brought a persimmon in for the committee to try. When they said no, she expressed her disappointment. 'We love to eat here in the House,' King said. 'That would have been a great treat for us here this morning.' Even though she didn't get to try the fruit, King was excited to learn that persimmon trees can grow in northern Indiana, where she is from. 'That would be a good reason for me to vote for this bill,' she said. Rep. David Abbott, R Rome City, asked the students if anyone had ever tasted the fruit. Cox explained that it is good, but the one she had was tart. Rep. Chris Campbell, D-West Lafayette, wondered if the students considered any other fruits. Blackman said they thought about the pawpaw, another native Hoosier fruit. Out of respect for their Ohioan neighbors, the students settled on the persimmon. 'We didn't do it because our neighboring state Ohio has it,' he said. When the questioning ceased, committee Chair Rep. Doug Miller R-Elkhart, thanked the fruitful advocates for their time. He decided to hold HB 1618 to ensure it had careful consideration. The five testifiers and their classmates who came to observe left the chamber when the discussion was Gates, Blackman, Sternberg and Morton told that presenting to committee members made them 'very nervous and scared.' This new reporter, who has only been on the job for two months, thoroughly sympathized with that students agreed it was especially intimidating when the representatives began asking them follow-up questions. 'We didn't know what was going to happen,' Morton said. Despite their anxieties, the young Jasper natives successfully fulfilled their civic duty. Donato recognized that the fight for the persimmon is far from over. Her students' next step in persimmon endorsement will be creating an online petition that Hoosiers all over the state can sign to support the Southern Indiana dreamers. 'It's exciting that some kids can make a difference,' Sternberg said, 'not just adults.' Anna Cecil is a reporter for a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fourth-graders form a persuasive persimmon lobby at the Statehouse
