Early Learning Indiana

In a child’s first five years, 85% of their capacity to learn develops. Learning in the early years provides the crucial foundation for lifelong learning. Early Learning Indiana works to increase access to early educational opportunities for all Hoosier families, providing young children with a strong foundation for life.

Early Learning Indiana (ELI) is the state’s expert and trusted voice on early childhood education. ELI drives system-level change to address barriers to accessible, affordable and high-quality early education. This is done by partnering with community stakeholders to build system capacity and improve learning outcomes; operating a network of high-quality Day Early Learning lab schools in Central Indiana that advance the science of early education, invest in teachers and instill essential knowledge and skills in children every day; and bringing innovative new solutions to the early learning field to affect positive change.

Charitable dollars support ELI’s effective early learning program that serves 1,000 children every day in its Day Early Learning (DEL) schools. Using a research-based curriculum built upon nurturing relationships and responsive interactions, DEL educators prepare children ages six weeks to six years old for future success in learning and in life. DEL’s play-based program enables children to develop the essential skills they need to thrive: curiosity, collaboration, confidence and initiative taking, persistence and resilience, effective expression, and flexible thinking. Children develop their social, emotional, and educational skills at Day Early Learning schools, ensuring they enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, Early Learning Indiana is able to offer a limited tuition assistance program to enable families to attend its Day Early Learning schools. Children in DEL schools come from various socio-economic backgrounds, and more than 57% of DEL children served rely on some form of financial assistance to attend. One hundred and sixty-three DEL seats are dedicated to infants and toddlers participating in the Early Head Start program; these children come from families that earn 150% or below of the Federal Poverty Level.

Charitable donations also support ELI’s statewide work to equip the early learning workforce to drive learning and development outcomes in children, provide professional development and learning opportunities for Indiana educators and engage teachers to grow and lead in the early childhood education field. Retaining early childhood educators allows for stronger, more secure relationships to develop between children and their teachers. Early Learning Indiana empowers children to thrive, and families and communities across Indiana to prosper.