COLUMBUS, Ind. — Vouchers, collective bargaining and COVID-19 were just a few of the topics two state legislators were questioned about in a virtual town hall.
State Sen. Greg Walker, (R-Columbus), and State Rep. Ryan Lauer (R-Columbus), attended a virtual Third House meeting co-hosted and moderated by the Columbus Educators Association and the Bartholomew County Retired Teachers Association on Saturday morning.
The event, held over Zoom and open to the public, focused specifically on education-related legislation and issues. After answering questions from the moderators on legislation and budgeting, the two legislators also fielded questions from the public.
Two pieces of legislation that were discussed were House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 413. Both bills have passed their respective chambers and would expand Indiana’s school voucher program.
“When originally introduced in Indiana, the voucher program was designed specifically to help low-income students attend private schools,” said co-moderator Alan Birkemeier, who is an association representative for CEA at Central Middle School. “Among other things, House Bill 1005 would raise the total private school voucher amount to 90% of per-pupil funding and expand eligibility to middle and upper class families.”
He added that Senate Bill 413 would make “similar, albeit more limited expansions to the voucher program.” Birkemeier also noted that on a local level, less than 4% of students use vouchers.
House Bill 1005 also expands private school vouchers to accredited nonpublic schools for students with disabilities, students with a parent active in the military, or children under foster care.
Vouchers are a hot-button issue both on a state and local level. Monday night’s agenda for the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. school board includes voting on a resolution entitled “Opposing the Establishment of Education Scholarship Accounts and the Expansion of the Indiana School Choice Scholarship Program.”
For coverage of the Third House on Education, see Monday’s Republic.
