Our ambitious journey is leading us to our North Star.
We will build a strong foundation that East Central Indiana uses – and Indiana sees as a model - to advance early care and learning, its professional workforce, communities, and economic development.
Our North Star is the one fixed point that keeps us focused and aligned so that our mission stays true, and we get to our destination.
We have a lot to do to bring East Central Indiana up to meet (and exceed) state levels of access to early care and learning (ECL) and change the lives and career trajectories of the children served by ECL professionals in our region.
By 2027, we hope to see
Improved access to quality early care and learning.
Kindergarten teachers see better-prepared children upon entry to school.
Early childhood professionals are valued, compensated professionals.
Communities value quality education and care of young children and their families.
Data Drives Change
Explore the map below to see the state of childcare in each East Central Indiana county.
Early Learning Matters in East Central Indiana Communities
Existing ECL programs are expensive and not all ranked of a high enough quality to put young Hoosiers on a path to success.
There is not enough capacity to meet the demand for early care and learning (ECL) programs in the state as a whole - including East Central Indiana.
Staffing shortages and low wages in childcare make it hard to get - and keep - talented professionals in the workforce.
A disproportionate number of Hoosier mothers (and guardians) are forced to exit the workforce in order to provide care for their children.
The estimated annual impact of this ECL crisis for the state of Indiana is $2.2 billion.
Click on your county to see how early learning is being supported locally
Our Team
Jeri McCorkle, Program Manager
I received both my undergraduate and master’s degrees in elementary education from Ball State University.
I taught at the elementary school level, mostly at Cowan Elementary, for nearly 30 years. After that, I worked with the Rush County Community Foundation to create its early learning coalition (First5) and was its director for 5 years.
My family includes husband Mark, son Andrew, and son and daughter-in-law Trevor and Emily. I enjoys being out on the water, doing puzzles, and building rock walls and walkways.
Lucinda Stipp, Program Coordinator
I’ve called Delaware County home my entire life and believe that continuous learning and questioning are essential to personal growth and achieving success in life. I graduated from Ball State University and previously worked in marketing at Ball State University for more than 20 years.
Always eager to take on new challenges, I love working with others and building relationships.
When I’m not working with TRAC, I enjoy being outdoors—whether that’s hiking, photography, or traveling with my partner, Ron.
Make every learning opportunity count
We develop the Early Care and Learning workforce because they are the foundation of every industry in our region, driving growth, and supporting families.
