By Whitney Downard
Indiana Capital Chronicle
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Republicans passed their $43.3 billion budget proposal without any Democrat support, with the minority party denouncing the millions earmarked to expand school vouchers.
Nearly half of the budget, 48%, goes to K-12 education, which will get a boost of nearly $2 billion over its current appropriation – of which one-third will go to vouchers.
Democrats denounced the budget for taking funding away from traditional public schools. Under the new proposal, families making up to 400% of the federal poverty level, roughly $220,000, qualify for vouchers.
“We’ve gotten rid of the whole idea that this is based on poverty or even based on bad schools,” Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, said. “In my view, we’ve turned the voucher program into an entitlement. A vast, new entitlement for people who are doing pretty darn well in life.”
Republicans said it was a matter of school choice and giving more power to parents who wish to control their children’s education.
“Ninety percent of parents are saying that the best (option) is a traditional public school,” Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, said. “But it’s important, I believe, that we put parents in charge.”
The budget advanced on a 66-29 vote and advances to the Senate for further consideration.
Thompson, the primary architect of the measure, said that it created opportunity for Hoosiers and saved taxpayers money in the long run.
“We’re making strategic, one-time investments that are going to affect our citizens for decades and decades to come,” Thompson said. “It sets Hoosiers on a great path going forward with a lot of great opportunities.”
The budget funds a $1,400 operations “floor” for public and charter schools per student, which increases to $1,500 in the second year. Additionally, eligibility for vouchers increases from 300% of the federal poverty level to 400%.
“The budget is unreasonable because the stated promise to provide real, great (increases to the) school funding formula for traditional schools, from our perspective, was not honored,” Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, said. “Traditional public schools will receive an average … of about 6% in the first year of the biennium but vouchers receive about a 70% increase.”
The Indiana Capital Chronicle covers the Indiana Legislature. For more information, visit indianacapitalchronicle.com.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
