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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana schools would see a 6% funding boost next year and textbook fees for public school students would be eliminated under state spending plans announced Wednesday by Gov. Eric Holcomb.
The Republican governor’s plan would give K-12 schools their largest funding increase in more than a decade amid worries about an expected slowdown in the growth of state tax collections. Holcomb’s proposal includes several other big-ticket items, such as nearly $350 million over the next two years toward a major funding increase for public health programs and $500 million for a new round of regional economic development grants.
The governor’s proposals come as the Republican-dominated Legislature is set to start its 2023 session on Monday with the adoption of a new two-year state budget by late April as its primary focus.
The double-digit jumps in state tax collections over recent years are projected to slow to about 3% the next two years, prompting some Republican legislative leaders to question how much spending can be increased on schools and other areas.
Holcomb said multiple times during the presentation of his plan that he believed the state had the “financial wherewithal” to pay for the proposals. He noted there is still an annual budget surplus.
“This is a bold agenda that hits on topics that, again, are needed,” Holcomb said. “They’re not just a wish list. These things are needed.”
Top Republican legislators released statements generally supportive of Holcomb’s proposals while emphasizing what House Speaker Todd Huston called “unwavering dedication to fiscal responsibility.”
“We’ll build on that track record and maintain our focus on funding critical services and making strategic, one-time investments that deliver results for Hoosiers—all while keeping government small,” Huston said.
Holcomb’s proposal calls for a 6% increase in K-12 and university funding for the 2023-24 school year, followed by an additional 2% boost the following year. That follows increases of about 4.5% each of the last two years, but those increases trail the national inflation rate that hit a peak of 9.1% in June.
He called for eliminating fees for textbooks and other classroom materials for all public school students by directing $120 million more toward local schools to expand the current program covering such fees for children from low-income families. Indiana is among a handful of states still allowing textbook fees, which Democrats and many education advocates have long criticized as an unfair extra cost to families.
The extra school money comes with the goal of boosting the statewide average teacher pay to at least $60,000 a year, about $3,000 higher than the average for last school year.
Indiana’s teacher pay has lagged behind national averages for many years and school districts across the state have struggled to fill open teaching positions.
The state’s largest teachers union expressed support for Holcomb’s proposal.
“We are pleased to see that Gov. Holcomb recognizes that we need to continue to build upon our prior funding increases for public schools so that we can begin to address some of the root causes of our educator shortage crisis,” Indiana State Teachers Association President Keith Gambill said.
Holcomb said increased public health funding is another top priority in order to improve Indiana’s poor national rankings in areas such as obesity, smoking and life expectancy.
The governor’s plan would direct $100 million in the budget’s first year and $200 million in the second year toward boosting Indiana’s county public health department funding from its current 45th national ranking to the national average. The state now directs about $7 million a year to county health departments, which are primarily funded by local taxes.
“We need to get healthier as a state, there’s just no two ways about it,” Holcomb said.
A commission appointed by Holcomb recommended a $240 million annual boost to lift funding for county public health departments to the national average, but the governor said time was needed to “build the structure” for expanded health programs.
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6% increase and the current inflation rate is 7% … so it’s a decrease, right?
+1
We rarely need more money in these programs but better oversight and more conservative spending. Somehow money is always the solution and yet problems don’t get solved and frequently get worse!
Please explain the specific problems in education that are down to poor oversight and spending too much money.
Last time I checked, we were struggling to keep teachers in the field. Maybe I’m just an old fashioned conservative who still believes in fundamentals like supply and demand, but paying them more would appear to be the most effective way to keep them.
I also recall, trying to teach my own kids just a couple years ago due to COVID and gaining an all-new appreciation for what it takes to be an educator. Maybe it’s just the circles I travel in, but I didn’t meet any fellow parents who told me that it was the easiest thing they ever did, more like the hardest.
Make it 10% and be the leader, not the average.
Shortage of teachers…not programs, consultants, directors. How much of increased funding will ACTUALLY be used in the classroom?
The Legislature has the ability to direct the funding as they see fit. Also, most of those “non-teaching” roles are needed to meet federal or state requirements.
It’s convenient to blame everything on schools but via the increased funding going to more and more charter schools, we are all paying for more non-classroom staff. Indiana is slowing undoing the consolidation that took place in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Why are we wasting money on schools that are failing our children? Why don’t we give money to church who are actually doing a good job of preparing our kids for life after school. Instead we are funding schools that are concentrating on regurgitating memorized information. Most of which they will never use! This is typical government wasting money!
Meant schools not church
Quite the slip there, Peggy. But that is the end game for our legislators.
The legislature needs to review and change the funding levels currently being used. Why do I see football fields with turf at many highschools? New track and field facilities? Etc, etc? While I firmly believe sports, arts and music programs are vital, those should be secondar to teaching a strong curriculum to students. I don’t believe Indiana teachers are drastically underpaid. Let’s get them a raise and then hold them accountable for teaching students. All school corporations need to re-evaluate current programs and make adjustments to put the funds where they are needed.