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Office of Early Childhood & Out-of-School Learning |
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Review the Approved 2025-2027 CCDF State Plan
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for the 2025-2027 fiscal years has been approved. View the final plan and resources related to the plan.
FSSA held a public hearing this past summer and accepted public comments on the plan prior to its approval. View the summary of public comments.
The CCDF program promotes children's learning and development while also offering resources to parents with low incomes so that they can work or pursue education. States apply for CCDF funding by submitting the CCDF Plan to the Office of Child Care.
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Make Plans for Holiday Closures
If your child care program accepts CCDF or On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) vouchers and will be closed during the holidays, make adjustments ahead of time in the Pay by Enrollment portal. You have three options for managing holiday closures:
- If you are closed for a full week and expect payment for that week, you can use 5 of your 16 paid closure dates and still be paid for the whole week.
- If you are closed for a full week or longer and do not expect payment for that time, email the eligibility office to pause the vouchers for that time period. You do not have to mark any attendance or closures for those weeks. Include a list of children and the specific dates in your email.
- If you are not expecting payment and use non-paid closure days, that week will still be paid (due to a current system issue). It will be your responsibility to report the overpayment to the State and have it recouped from your next payment. In the future, non-paid closures will be updated to not be paid.
Please check your vouchers before the holidays so your eligibility office can make any necessary adjustments to avoid improper payments. Audit will check all these weeks to make sure they were recorded correctly. Email your questions to paymentquestions@fssa.in.gov.
For more provider support with Pay by Enrollment, call the SPARK Help Desk at 1-800-299-1627. Families can get support by calling Indiana 211 or their local eligibility office.
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Find Your SPARK and Get Calm
The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning and SPARK Learning Lab and have partnered with the top-ranked mental health app Calm to offer Premium subscriptions to Indiana's early care and education programs.
Redeem your subscription in five easy steps:
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Head to IndianaSpark.com/calm
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Click the 'Get Started Here!' button
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Complete the interest form
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Use the unique code on the confirmation page to redeem your subscription
- Follow the instructions on the next page to get started with Calm
Those eligible must work, own, or volunteer in an Indiana-based early childhood or out-of-school program. Redeem this offer today and enjoy a premium subscription until February 2026.
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Unlock the Power of Support Groups
Start the New Year refreshed by registering for one of three Provider Support Groups. New sessions begin the week of January 6. Register now to secure your spot.
These groups offer valuable support and community for early care and education providers. Choose from one of these meeting options:
- Tuesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET (English)
- Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET (English)
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Wednesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. ET (Spanish)
Provider Support Groups provide a valuable chance to connect with peers, exchange best practices, and gather insights to help tackle the challenges of early childhood education.
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Discover Events and Opportunities with INAEYC
The Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (INAEYC) has several upcoming opportunities.
Register for the 2025 Indiana Early Childhood Conference: Early bird registration is open until December 13 for the 2025 Indiana Early Childhood Conference, which will be held March 28 and 29 at the Indiana Convention Center. Register for the conference.
Indiana Trainer and Training Approval System Orientation:
Taking on Turnover Sessions:
Apply for Indiana AEYC Non-Formal CDA Training: Interested in earning your Child Development Associate (CDA®) credential? The Indiana Non-Formal CDA Project is accepting applications for classes starting in January and February 2025. Classes are provided at no cost to participants through funding by the Child Care and Development Fund and the Department of Workforce Development. You can view eligibility requirements here. To apply or ask questions, email pd@inaeyc.org.
INAEYC is looking for applicants in the following areas:
- Center of Workforce Innovations, Inc.
- South Bend Adult Education Program
- Central Nine Career Center
- Jennings County Adult Education Program
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River Valley Resources
Register for the virtual CDA event from 10 to 11 a.m. ET on December 18. Learn about available resources to help you complete your CDA. You'll walk through the training, learn how to prepare for the visit and how to apply for the credential with T.E.A.C.H. scholarship assistance. You can also connect with a CDA Navigator who will help you organize your portfolio and prepare for the exam.
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Train with SPARK Learning Lab
Explore valuable upcoming training opportunities through SPARK Learning Lab. See a full list of upcoming face-to-face training, live webinars, and live resources, plus read training descriptions and find registration instructions at IndianaSpark.com/training.
Review this week's training schedule:
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