South Montgomery’s school board is doubling down against a pair of bills that would expand Indiana’s private school voucher program and take millions of dollars away from public schools.
The board passed a resolution this week opposing provisions in House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 412 creating education savings accounts that eligible families could spend on non-public school tuition and other education-related expenses.
Special education students and children in foster care, as well as some whose parents are serving in the armed forces or are veterans, would qualify for the stipends. The money would come from the fund that provides tuition support for public schools.
“We think that the state legislators are going down the wrong path with this,” board president Brad Monts said.
House Bill 1005 passed in the House last month and went to the Senate for more debate. Senate Bill 412 cleared a committee vote in January.
The resolution followed an open letter to lawmakers by the superintendents and board presidents of Montgomery County’s three school districts opposing the expansion of vouchers.
Public school corporations lose state funding for each student in the district who accepts a voucher. Montgomery County’s districts lost nearly $940,000 in tuition support combined this school year.
Statewide, public schools could lose upward of
$80 million in tuition support by 2023 from students moving to non-public schools with a voucher.
Local education leaders say private schools should have to be audited the same way as public schools, a point South Montgomery board member Julie Hess raised as she pressed lawmakers to defeat the bills.
“I actually sent them all pictures of the difference in the 20-page laws of the private schools and the two-inch ream of paper of the public school laws and said, if you’re going to fund us the
same, at least put us on the same playing field,” Hess said.
Supporters say expanding vouchers gives families the power to find the best schooling options for their children.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report
