INDIANAPOLIS – House Republicans say they will work in 2015 to boost money for public schools and rewrite the formula that distributes those dollars to try to reduce the gap between the state’s highest and lowest funded districts.
The move could mean a shift in funding from some of the state’s urban districts – and those with the highest concentrations of poverty – to suburban and rural districts. But House Speaker Brian Bosma said the goal will be to increase the funding overall so no district suffers considerably.
Still, Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said districts that have lost thousands of students over the past couple decades shouldn’t continue to receive significantly higher per-student funding than those that are gaining enrollment.
The state’s highest funded districts receive more than $9,000 per student and the lowest receive about $5,500, legislators said.
“The disparity in per student funding appears to be flawed to me,” Bosma said. “It will take some thoughtful discussion.”
The proposal is part of the House Republican legislative agenda for the 2015 session.
House Minority Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said Republican calls for more funding for education sound like the messages Democrats have been sending for years.
“Yes, it is time to invest in our public schools again,” Pelath said in a statement.
“But never forget the reason our schools are suffering: These same Indianapolis power brokers took a meat cleaver to them time and time again. Vouchers and other think-tank experiments kept getting the tenderloin, while public schools got the gristle.”
The caucus also proposes to strengthen disclosure laws to prevent legislators from voting or acting publicly or privately on legislation in which they have significant financial interest. That proposal comes out of a situation involving Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, who has announced he’ll give up his seat if he wins a reelection bid in November. Earlier this year, Turner lobbied privately for legislation that meant millions of dollars for him and his family.