Controversial policies being pushed through the Indiana government are raising some big concerns for teachers, school administrators and education students about the future of education in the Hoosier State.
Gov. Mitch Daniels used more than half of his State of the State speech to address the problems that have faced Indiana schools in the past year and pushed a policy that allows parents to choose where their children go to school — whether it is a local school or a charter school.
Daniels also wants to allow students' tax dollars to follow them to the school of their choice, a bit of policy that many in Indiana are resisting.
"Families are now able to choose public schools outside the districts they reside in, tuition-free," Daniels said. "Schools have begun advertising campaigns, touting their graduation rates and higher test scores.
"This competition is a highly positive development, as long as it is fair."
But many opponents of the governor's new policy say that it is dangerous to enact bills that might siphon money away from public school systems where layoffs have become common and extra funds are in high demand.
Robin Phelps is the chief financial officer for the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis, a district that cut $11.5 million dollars from its budget in the past 18 months.
Phelps said she fears making charter schools more available will lower enrollment and pull money away from Lawrence Township.
"Because we are funded totally based on student count, for every student we lose, we lose that funding," Phelps said. "We're trying to do energy cut backs, admin took a pay freeze and we have cut the custodial staff from 140 to 98."
Lawrence Township had 54 retirements and laid off 101 teachers last year, 86 of which they have been able to rehire.
Phelps said if state lawmakers go through with allowing a portion of funds normally given to schools for transportation to go to charter schools, Lawrence Township may be forced to ask some students to walk to school everyday, though some of their schools don't have walking lanes.
Robert Marra, special education coordinator in the office of charter schools at Ball State, a school that has authorized 39 charter schools across the state, said he isn't convinced that competition from charter schools will have such a negative effect on public education.
Ball State senior education major Jared Stites said concerns about funds leaving public school systems is something he and his classmates should be worried about, especially because he'll be out in the job market in a semester's time.
"They concern me," Stites said. "And with my needing a job, I'll have to compete against the people who have been let go because of budget cuts and everyone who is just now graduating college and going out and seeking jobs."
According to The Associated Press, the Indiana House Education Committee is currently considering a bill that would allow more charter schools and allow those schools to share the state transportation funds that are now used by public schools.
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