General Program Information
What is the Micro-Facility Pilot Program?
Indiana’s Micro-Facility Pilot program is a collaborative initiative established for the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) by Indiana legislators in SB2,. The goals of this program are to 1) increase the availability of child care, particularly in areas facing a critical shortage, by reducing operating costs and 2) ensure the health and safety of children for whom care is provided.
To achieve these goals, the program will select six existing child care providers to assist in expanding their operations to micro-facilities—smaller, non-residential, sites designed to serve between 3 and 30 children. These micro-facilities will benefit from streamlined regulations developed by OECOSL, which reduce operating costs for providers and encourage the establishment of child care facilities in convenient community locations, such as libraries, schools, and shopping centers.
Who was awarded micro-facility program pilot sites?
OECOSL awarded the following six providers micro-facility program pilot sites in February 2025:
- Bloom by Highland-Academy in Vigo County
- Wee Care Early Learning Ministry in Marion County
- Woodland Child Development Center, Inc. in Lake County
- Wee Warriors Academy in Kosciusko County
- El Pescadito Learning Center Inc. in St. Joseph County
- Educational Playhouse in LaPorte County
What defines a micro-facility?
A child care Micro-Facility is a program, in a non-residential setting, that serves between 3 and 30 children at any one time for more than 4 hours a day.
How is a micro-facility different from traditional child care centers and child care homes?
Micro-facilities differ from traditional child care centers and family child care homes (FCCHs) in several key ways:
- Scale and Setting: Micro-facilities serve between 3 and 30 children, making them smaller than many traditional centers. Furthermore they operate in non-residential buildings, differentiating themselves from home-based providers.
- Streamlined Regulations: Micro-facilities operate under tailored regulations, which were introduced as part of the Micro-Facility Pilot Program. These regulations include things like allowing students to bring their own lunches/snacks and allowing several options for outside playtime. These regulations aim to reduce costs, while maintaining safety and quality, through flexible space requirements and simplified operational standards.
- Operational Model: Micro-facilities function as an extension of a provider’s previously existing program, which is known as the micro-facility hub. This relationship allows related programs, known as a micro-facility network, to share resources, staff, and support across sites.
- Flexibility in Staffing: Adjusted staffing requirements accommodate mixed-age groups while ensuring safety for all children.
- Focus on Accessibility: The micro-facility network model was designed for underserved areas, making childcare more accessible and more affordable for families by allowing programs to provide care in creative community spaces.