State school voucher program expansion debated

Expansion of the Indiana voucher program, which provides families with money to send their children to private school, is currently being debated in the Indiana General Assembly.

According to the Indianapolis Star, a bill was discussed Wednesday by the Senate Education Committee that would allow siblings of students using vouchers to not have to attend public school at all.

The students would be able to immediately obtain money to enroll at a private school. Currently, a student must receive education at a public school for one year before they can receive state support for a private school.

Glenda Ritz, superintendent of Public Instruction of Indiana Schools, said she does not agree with the voucher program.

“My position is public money should go to public schools,” she said.

She said the Indiana Supreme Court has yet to rule on the constitutionality of the program.

Indiana House of Representatives member Robert Behning has an opposing opinion.

According to the Star, 9,130 students are currently enrolled in the program.

Ninety percent of the cost of the child’s school is covered by state support if the child lives in a household which has “an annual income of not more than the amount required for the individual to qualify for the federal free or reduced price lunch program,” according to House Bill 1003.  

The child’s family receives 50 percent support if the household has “an annual income of not more than one hundred fifty percent of the amount required for the individual to qualify for the federal free or reduced price lunch program.”

Behning said the state saves money when a child chooses to attend a private school rather than their assigned public school and the money is then redistributed to Indiana school corporations.

Behning said each corporation receives more money per pupil through the program. He said the private schools involved in the program have to be accredited, non-public schools that offer the ISTEP test.

Behning equated the voucher program to high school students choosing a college, citing that the competition forces colleges to improve themselves. In the same way, he said the voucher program would make both public and private schools work to improve their level of education.

“I believe we should have more of a market-driven K-12 program,” he said.

— Sydney Murray