Creating a strong educational foundation starts before kindergarten, but according to a new report, Indiana still has a long way to go in supporting our youngest learners.
A Troubling Ranking for Indiana in 2025
WalletHub just released its 2025 list of states with the best and worst early education systems, and unfortunately for the Hoosier State, the results are disappointing – again. Indiana ranked 42nd overall, meaning it’s the 10th worst in America.
Breaking Down the Numbers: Where Indiana Stands
The annual study evaluates a wide range of factors, including access to state-funded pre-K programs, program quality, and resources available to families. And Indiana’s rankings in each of those categories paint a clear picture:
- Access Rank – 50th
- Quality Rank – 26th
- Resources & Economic Support Rank – 6th
Small Victories: Signs of Progress for Hoosiers
If you are confused by these results, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Just a few weeks ago, I wrote about a different report that ranked Indiana’s school system as one of the top 10 in the country, only to see the Hoosier state near the bottom of this list.
Yes, this report is troubling, but it’s not all bad – here’s some encouraging news to keep in mind. In the same report from 2024, Indiana was ranked 51st (dead last), so ranking 42nd this year is a respectable step in the right direction. Here’s one more good news nugget – in the Resources & Economic Support ranking, Indiana improved from 37th in 2024 to 6th best in 2025. See, Hoosiers, we’re making progress!
The FULL REPORT contains a lot of information that you might find interesting. If you’re interested in how the rest of the country ranks, you can see that by scrolling over the map below…