Who Bears the Risk of Indiana’s Proposed Rules Changes
By Tammy Dant, INAEYC Member
As Indiana policymakers consider proposals to increase adult-child ratios and lower the age and qualifications required to work in early childhood programs, we must ask one simple question: Who bears the risk? The answer is our youngest children.
I own and direct AppleTree Learning Center, a nationally accredited early childhood program in South Bend, Indiana. I understand the staffing challenges our profession faces. Finding and retaining qualified educators has never been more difficult. Yet despite these challenges, our program has remained committed to the high standards required for national accreditation because we believe Indiana’s children deserve nothing less. Lowering standards is not the solution. It simply shifts the burden of the workforce crisis onto infants, toddlers, and preschoolers during the most critical years of their development.
I also know that high standards are not what drive educators away—they are often what inspire them to stay. Our program has built a culture of professionalism, support, and continuous learning. Because of that commitment, several members of our teaching team have dedicated more than 20 years to serving children and families. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when educators feel respected, supported, and proud of the important work they do. High expectations, when paired with investment in people, create stability for teachers and the nurturing relationships children need to thrive.
The first five years of life are the most important period of brain development. During these years, children are not simply being supervised. They are learning to communicate, regulate emotions, solve problems, and build relationships that become the foundation for future learning and success. Those experiences require knowledgeable, responsive educators—not simply another adult in the room.
When one teacher is responsible for too many children, quality inevitably suffers. Teachers spend more time managing routines and less time engaging in meaningful conversations, supporting emotional development, and responding to individual needs. Safety is also compromised. Ratios are not arbitrary numbers; they exist because young children require close supervision, responsive care, and meaningful interaction.
Lowering the minimum age and education requirements for educators sends another troubling message—that caring for and educating young children requires little preparation or expertise. Nothing could be further from the truth. Early childhood educators are professionals. They recognize developmental concerns, partner with families, create engaging learning environments, and lay the foundation for lifelong success. They deserve greater investment, not diminished expectations.
If Indiana truly wants to solve its childcare challenges, the answer is not fewer protections for children. The answer is investing in the workforce. Increase childcare reimbursement rates so programs can offer competitive wages. Support scholarships and career pathways such as TEACH. Help providers recruit and retain qualified educators while preserving the standards that keep children safe and support healthy development.
The choices we make today will shape Indiana’s future workforce, economy, and communities. We should not respond to today’s staffing shortages by lowering the expectations for those entrusted with our youngest citizens.
Let’s solve the childcare crisis by investing in educators, supporting families, and strengthening early childhood education—not by weakening the safeguards that Indiana’s children deserve.
