March 28, 2024

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education gives you strength

Governor floats plan for schools turning to virtual education to receive 100% of state funding | Government and Politics

Jennifer McCormick, the Republican state superintendent of public instruction, said the Indiana Department of Education still is reviewing the governor’s proposal “for its potential financial benefits and consequences.”

“This delay is just that — a delay,” McCormick said. “Hoosier schools deserve a solution to secure 100% funding as districts are bargaining, budgeting and preparing for the next 18 months.”

State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, the top Democrat on the Senate Education Committee, said he does not consider the governor’s potential solution to be a victory for Hoosier schools.

“All this ‘solution’ does is kick the can down the road. The governor has still failed to give any assurance that public school funding will not see any cuts for the 2020-21 school year due to the pandemic,” Melton said.

“Schools are looking for definitive actions and solutions in a time of uncertainty. Pushing back the September (student) count until December is just a way to placate voters until after the election, as far as I can tell.”

Melton said Holcomb should instead call the General Assembly into special session to immediately address the issue, rather than potentially leaving schools on the hook for up to eight months of overpayments.

“Our schools deserve better than political tricks and half-solutions,” Melton said.

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