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Get Engaged

Advocacy

We work to advocate for out-of-school time programs by demonstrating their positive impact across our state.

Get Engaged

Advocacy

We work to advocate for out-of-school time programs by demonstrating their positive impact across our state.

Advocate

Championing accessible afterschool opportunities for all children

One critical aspect of our work is to facilitate advocacy for Indiana’s out-of-school time providers. To forward these efforts, we gather relevant data that articulates the OST programming’s value and its positive impact on Hoosiers, we prepare program staff and volunteers to implement best practices and innovation in their work, and we identify structured ways to pursue broader support and understanding of the collective out-of-school time field.

We promote advocacy and action through the following:

IAN Advocacy Champions Initiative

Around the state, OST providers are improving their boards’ abilities to tell their organization’s stories within their communities, to policymakers, and beyond. In short, to advocate. This initiative aims to facilitate that storytelling by working through cohort of board members representing local providers of OST programming. Together, we partner to elevate advocacy as an important function of local OST boards.

Indiana OST Advocacy Week

Grassroots advocacy is imperative. As part of a coordinated biennial effort, local OST program providers host local, state, and federal elected and appointed officials during local outreach events. The outreach affords providers with opportunities to develop deeper more meaningful relationships with public leaders while speaking to the issues impacting their communities.

Indiana OST Statehouse Day

The biennial event affords OST leaders and volunteers an opportunity to meet with their state-level elected officials to learn how their program provider can partner with the State for greater community impact, advocate in relation to specific policy issues, and share about the important work of the OST field throughout the State.

Public Policy Committee

Comprised of OST leaders from around the State, the committee is responsible for providing a clear strategy for public policy advocacy and organizing advocacy efforts across the state. One of the primary responsibilities of the committee is to lead the development of IAN’s annual Policy Priorities for recommendation to the Board.

Advocate

How we do our work

We promote and advocate for policies and initiatives that enable Indiana’s OST providers to provide opportunities for learning beyond the school day so that all Indiana youth can grow into healthy, thriving adults. As a statewide non-partisan, nonprofit organization, IAN is the voice of Indiana’s OST field. With that responsibility, and in our work, we strive to uphold the values of provider autonomy, ongoing education, volunteer leadership, collective strength, and community improvement.

If you are interested in partnering with the Indiana Afterschool Network on advocacy efforts promoting Awareness & Support, Access, and Capacity & Coordination, please contact Sam Barnett, Associate Director of Advocacy.

Research and Data

IAN tracks and analyzes data to inform our public policies. We also conduct anecdotal research with our network regarding how to improve the lives of the children, adults, and families in the communities they serve. This forms the foundation of how we develop our public policy recommendations.

Partner Collaboration

We work with partners at different coalition tables to collectively raise our voices and advocate for change, while ensuring the needs of the youth, adults, and families we serve informs our efforts.

Proactive Advocacy

IAN educates policymakers of all parties, in the legislature and in the administration, in Indianapolis and in Washington, D.C., to achieve meaningful policy results.

Resources

We serve as a reliable, objective resource on policies impacting support for the OST field, access to OST programs, and improved coordination and capacities for the OST field.

Our 2027 Public Policy Priorities

Lead

Protect and Strengthen 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Protect and strengthen 21st Century Community Learning Centers by aligning Indiana requirements with federal law, reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, and increasing state investment to expand access to high-quality out-of-school time programs for Hoosier youth and working families.
Establish a Sustainable State Investment Strategy for Out-of-School Time
Create a predictable, long-term state investment strategy for out-of-school time that programs can rely on from year to year, recognizing that high-quality before-school, afterschool, and summer programs are essential workforce infrastructure that support employers, strengthen local economies, and prepare Indiana’s future workforce.
Modernize School-Age Regulation Through a Dedicated Licensure and Quality Pathway
Streamline Indiana Code by creating a dedicated, efficient licensure pathway designed specifically for school-age programs while codifying a comprehensive definition of out-of-school time that spans applicable sections of Indiana Code. The pathway should emphasize health, safety, youth development, and continuous quality improvement while recognizing the unique operational realities of school-age programs.
Ensure Access to Public Supports for Qualified School-Age Programs
Ensure that legally operating license-exempt school-age and out-of-school time programs that meet defined health, safety, and quality standards are eligible to participate in appropriate state quality initiatives, technical assistance, workforce supports, and other public investments intended to strengthen Indiana’s out-of-school time system.
Increase Government Efficiency Through Statewide Coordination
Improve government efficiency through stronger statewide coordination of out-of-school time by aligning policy, data collection, performance measures, and implementation across the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, the Indiana Department of Education, and other relevant state agencies, reducing duplication while improving outcomes for children and families.
Expand Scholarship Granting Organizations for Out-of-School Time
Expand Scholarship Granting Organization opportunities by removing barriers that limit participation and creating pathways for scholarships to support out-of-school time programs within both state and federal SGO frameworks.

Support

Establish a School-Age Workforce Qualification Pathway
Create a workforce pathway that recognizes nationally recognized youth development credentials, relevant degrees, approved training, and equivalent professional experience for individuals serving in leadership and direct-service roles within school-age and out-of-school time programs.
Invest in Provider Capacity and Continuous Quality Improvement
Invest federal and state quality funds in provider coaching, technical assistance, business sustainability, leadership development, and continuous quality improvement so programs have the support necessary to achieve and maintain higher levels of quality.
Establish Shared Funding Models
Support shared funding approaches for child care and out-of-school time, including Tri-Share models that distribute the cost of care among employers, families, and the state while strengthening workforce participation.
Restore Child Care and Development Fund Reimbursement Rates
Restore Child Care and Development Fund reimbursement rates so they more accurately reflect the cost of providing quality care while ensuring that school-age programs can meaningfully participate within the state’s quality framework.

Oppose

Reductions in state or federal investments supporting out-of-school time programs.
Policies that unnecessarily limit the ability of legally operating out-of-school time programs to serve Indiana youth and families.
Elimination or reduction of tax incentives and tax credits that encourage charitable giving and private investment in youth-serving organizations.
Policies that increase regulatory burden without corresponding improvements in child safety, program quality, or family access.

Guiding Principles

Indiana’s out-of-school time system should:

Strengthen workforce participation by ensuring families have access to reliable, high-quality care beyond the school day.
Promote high-quality youth development through practical, school-age appropriate standards and continuous quality improvement.
Improve government efficiency through coordinated implementation, aligned policy, and shared accountability across state agencies.
Build provider sustainability by investing in organizational capacity, workforce development, and long-term financial stability.
Recognize out-of-school time providers as essential partners in Indiana’s education, workforce, and economic development systems.

Have questions about advocacy or public policy?

Whether you have questions about legislation affecting out-of-school time, IAN’s Public Policy Committee, our annual policy priorities, or another advocacy-related topic, our Advocacy Team is here to help.

Advocacy Events

Have questions about becoming an IAN Member?

Whether you’re wondering about membership benefits, eligibility, your current membership, or how to get involved as a member, our team is here to help.

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How We Can Help You

Program Quality

We’ll help you maintain the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to deliver high-quality programs to Indiana’s youth.

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Get Involved

Help shape a brighter future for kids in Indiana. Join a growing network of advocates, professionals, and community partners.

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Advocacy

Advocacy

Championing accessible afterschool opportunities for all children

How we do our work

Our 2027 Public Policy Priorities

Have questions about advocacy or public policy?

Advocacy Events

Have questions about becoming an IAN Member?

How We Can Help You

Program Quality

Get Involved

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