By Emma Dragoo—
MUNCIE, IN—Long before a child walks into a kindergarten classroom, someone helped prepare them for that moment.
Someone taught them how to share, solve problems, follow routines, communicate their needs, and build confidence outside the walls of their home. Someone noticed when they were struggling, celebrated when they succeeded, and helped lay the foundation for future learning.
For thousands of children across Delaware County that someone was an early childhood educator.
Today, Indiana is considering changes to childcare licensing regulations that would lower qualification requirements for childcare leaders and educators while reducing professional standards that have long supported quality early learning environments. While these changes are described as efforts to reduce administrative burdens, families should understand what is really at stake.
This is not simply a conversation about regulations.
It is a conversation about what Indiana values.
In Delaware County, more than 60 licensed childcare programs serve over 3,500 children and employ an estimated 400 early childhood professionals. More than 900 children are on the CCDF voucher waitlist. Families already face significant childcare costs, averaging more than $268 per week for infant care.
At the same time, childcare is a critical part of our local economy, generating an estimated $84.5 million to $109.8 million in economic impact.
Childcare is not a side issue.
It is workforce infrastructure.
Every employer in our community depends on it. When childcare classrooms close, parents miss work. When programs cannot recruit and retain qualified staff, businesses lose employees. When families cannot find care, workforce participation declines.
Yet as providers continue to navigate reimbursement cuts, funding uncertainty, staffing shortages, and the absence of a permanent childcare funding stream in Indiana, the state is now considering reducing educational requirements for some of the very professionals responsible for guiding children’s development.
One of the most concerning proposals would reduce qualification requirements for lead educators and directors.
For those outside the profession, that may sound like a technical adjustment.
It is not.
Credentials such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) are more than requirements to check off a list. They are often the first step in a professional journey. They connect educators to research, mentors, professional networks, and a deeper understanding of child development.
These credentials are not barriers.
They are bridges.
They help transform a job into a profession and a caregiver into an educator.
That is why another proposed change carries such symbolic weight.
The state is proposing to remove the term “early childhood professional” from portions of the regulations.
It costs nothing to keep that term.
Removing it doesn’t streamline a process. It doesn’t create a childcare slot. It doesn’t save providers money.
It changes how the state describes the workforce itself.
Words matter.
When we stop referring to educators as professionals, we send a message that expertise in child development is optional. We tell a workforce that already faces low wages, high expectations, and persistent staffing shortages that their professionalism is negotiable.
But families know better.
Parents remember the teacher who helped their child overcome separation anxiety. They remember the educator who recognized a developmental concern early. They remember the professional who helped prepare their child for success in kindergarten and beyond.
These outcomes do not happen by accident.
They happen because skilled, experienced educators dedicate themselves to this work every day.
Indiana now has a choice. We can continue asking the childcare sector to do more with less, or we can invest in the workforce that supports children, families, employers, and communities.
The public comment period on these proposed licensing changes is open, and community voices matter.
If an early childhood educator made a difference in your child’s life, tell that story.
If childcare made it possible for you to work, attend school, or support your family, tell that story.
If a credentialed and experienced educator helped prepare your child for kindergarten, tell that story.
Attend the July 6 public hearing. Submit written comments. Make your voice heard.
Because behind every proposed rule is a simple question:
What do we believe young children deserve?
The answer should be clear.
Not less.
Better.
Individuals may provide public comment by mail, email: fssarulecomments@fssa.in.gov, or attending the scheduled public hearing on July 6th at 10a.m. ET at the IN Government Center South, 402 West Washington Street, Conference Room 17-Harrison Hall, Indpls IN. The public may also attend the meeting in person or join remotely via Teams.
BY5 is a 501c-3 nonprofit organization with a mission to create a strong and educated future workforce that is prepared for success in life by rallying, engaging, and sustaining community support for early learning and development. Learn more about proposed licensing changes and how to take action at https://www.muncieby5.org/take-action.
Emma Dragoo is assistant director of childcare resources at BY5.
