Indiana legislative session ends with education wins and losses

Contributed By: The 411 News

Along with changes to fund education for Indiana students over the next 2 years, the 2023 Indiana legislative session put the Gary public school district on a path to return to local control.

With the passage of Senate Bill 327, an appointed 5-member advisory board for the Gary school district will take office July 1 with the task of selecting a new school district superintendent. The bill abolished the current 7-member advisory board.

The session approved education spending that some northwest Indiana legislators opposed.

Income levels were raised to make more families eligible to use school-choice vouchers at private and religious schools.

Currently, vouchers are limited to families that make less than 300% of the free or reduced lunch income eligibility level, meaning a family of four can make up to $154,000 annually.

Families of four are now eligible if they have an income up to $220,000 or 400 percent of the amount required for the federal free and reduced-price lunch program.

The student’s age requirement was lowered from 5 to 4.

Legislators gave charter schools in 4 counties (Lake, Marion, St. Joseph, and Vanderburgh) access to school referendum dollars.

Charter schools with enrolled students who reside within the boundary of school corporations that win the approval of an operation or safety referendum would receive a per-student share of the referendum dollars. School districts that are distressed units, such as Gary Community School Corp., are exempt.

GCSC has 6 charter schools within its physical boundary in the city of Gary.

Currently, those charter schools do not receive a share of property tax dollars raised through referendums.

State Senator Lonnie M. Randolph (D-East Chicago) said education funding in HB1001, the state’s budget bill, destroys public schools.

“This is a budget for the privileged,” Sen. Randolph said. “The expansion of vouchers will mean that wealthy families will be able to cover the cost of their kids' private school tuition with state dollars. Make no mistake: this is absolutely at the expense of public schools. Public schools are only receiving about 70% of new education dollars to educate over 90% of students while vouchers receive a third of new money to educate less than 10% of Hoosier kids.”

“Traditional public schools are taking a double hit in this budget, Sen. Randolph added. “As it relates to school funding for public schools, HB 1001 is reprehensible. With the provisions in this bill, it’s clear what the goal is – to destroy public schools, period.”

State Senator Eddie Melton (D-Gary) also opposed the new funding. “This budget bill will have a devastating impact on schools in my district and across the state. With SB 391 allowing charter schools to also receive referendum dollars, public schools are about to be hit hard. It’s targeting just four counties, including mine. I am unequivocally against the ongoing war being waged against public schools."

Those same Democratic legislators wanted an elected school board in Gary, but had to yield to the Republican-dominated Indiana General Assembly. Indiana's Secretary of Education will appoint 3 of the 5 advsiory board members, with the remaining two appointed by Gary's mayor and city council.

On the win’s side, textbook fees for K-12 students have been eliminated. School corporations and charter schools are prevented from charging a fee for textbooks and other curriculum materials.

Funding was approved to pay for more adult learners. Enrollment caps were expanded at two learning programs for adults who are 22 years of age and older for Excel Centers across the state and Christel House DORS in Indianapolis.

Story Posted:05/02/2023