Calls for new investments to support public education
Submitted
The Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) is asking lawmakers to invest in and support K-12 public education after Thursday morning’s state revenue forecast showed the state will collect nearly $2 billion more in tax revenue over the next two years than previously anticipated.
ISBA asks lawmakers to devote significant new dollars to traditional K-12 public schools to ensure they are funded in each year of the biennium with increases that, at a minimum, match inflation, which spiked to 3 percent in the Midwest for the 12-month period ending March 2021.
The House-passed budget increased tuition support funding by 1.25 percent in Fiscal Year 2022 and 2.49 percent in Fiscal Year 2023. The Senate’s version of the budget bill increased tuition support by 1.23 percent in FY 22 and 2.94 percent in FY23.
“Here’s a golden opportunity to significantly improve K-12 public education funding in our state,” ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin said. “Lawmakers have a real chance to improve the state’s standing on per-pupil funding, which in turn would allow our local schools to make major improvements in teacher compensation.”
Indiana ranked 39th in the U.S. in K-12 public per-pupil spending in 2018, down from 20th among states in 2005. Indiana ranked last in salary growth for teachers between 2002 and 2017.
By driving much of the increase in forecasted revenue to the public education system and its students, lawmakers can help school boards meet the goals of the Governor’s Next Level Teacher Compensation Commission to increase minimum teacher pay to $40,000 and average teacher pay to $60,000.
In addition to larger overall increases for K-12 education, ISBA asks lawmakers to embrace the Senate’s approach to increasing funding for students in poverty through the complexity grant, students receiving special education services, and English language learners.
ISBA also requests that lawmakers refrain from expanding school choice programs at the expense of the public schools that serve the vast majority of the state’s children. More than 180 school boards have adopted resolutions opposing the expansion of Choice Scholarship vouchers and establishment of education savings accounts.
“The pandemic reminded us all of the vital importance of public schools to a functioning society. We should be celebrating the heroic efforts of our public schools, not undermining them,” Spradlin said.