It’s election season. Early voting in Montgomery County began on Oct. 12. Voters can cast their ballots on the first floor of the Montgomery County Courthouse from now until his November 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on any weekday. vote. Visit the LWVMC website (lwvmontcoin.org) and[有権者情報]Head over to the tab to see the full schedule.
Nothing in the local-level election cycle is bigger than a school board election. At last week’s candidate forum for school board candidates in Crawfordsville, c. Seventy attendees heard five candidates thoughtfully answer questions, take their stand, and tell the audience how and why they care so much about public schools.
The county’s support for our public schools is very strong. All three school districts have smart and creative ways to work independently or collaboratively to ensure that all students are well-served in a wide variety of occupational, special education, and academic programs. There are special benefits and management programs to do. Our school district works with county and city governments, local businesses and non-profit organizations to mutually promote and continue to improve excellence across the county school system.
Since its inception, public schools have been at the heart of the community. It was and still is their job to educate future citizens and provide learning opportunities so that young people can become productive members of society and pursue their personal dreams. Moreover, public schools have a fundamental mandate to uphold and pass on the democratic values we share. Each year, public school students across the country become “informed, engaged, and critically thoughtful citizens committed to the long-term well-being of their communities and the collective pursuit of a just, healthy, and inclusive society. ‘ is ready to be created. As Tom Segal said at Education Week).
So how do we fund these shared educational values here in Indiana? About 43% of the state budget is spent on education. However, many Indiana taxpayers do not understand how the education tax is apportioned. Some believe that education funding still flows from property taxes to public school districts with taxable assets. It’s a system that most people of the older generation know. But property taxes are no longer used this way. It used to be understood that if parents chose to send their children to private school, this would add additional private costs. Funding public schools was perceived as the responsibility of every citizen. In Indiana, the way education is funded has changed over time.
In 2011, then-Governor Mitch Daniels was promoted, and Congress established a “voucher program.” The voucher program means that taxes “follow the student” rather than being given to the public school district where the student lives. Originally, the program was promoted as a way to give economically disadvantaged families more choices about schooling. When originally introduced, a student had to attend her second semester of public school before applying for a voucher to go elsewhere for unmet needs. That standard is gone and we are now in a situation where the results are very different from what we would expect (for example, more than 70% of the students currently using vouchers said that she had never been to a public school). there is not.)
For the 2021-22 school year, Indiana awarded $241.4 million to pay tuition fees for students attending private schools. That number increased by 44% year-over-year. Nearly all of the 330 private schools that receive voucher funding are religious schools.
Such spending may be justified if these Indiana private schools are academically excellent. But a study done at both the University of Kentucky and the University of Notre Dame found that voucher students as a group lagged behind their public school peers. (School Matters, 2022)
Gone are the crutches, supposedly equalization vouchers for students from poor families. The program is designed specifically for them and low-middle income students, but as of 2021, those with an income of $172,000 A family of five can get up to $5,400 in vouchers per child. Her 20% of all voucher households had income over her $100,000. (Indiana’s median household income is about $58,000.) Also of concern is that some private schools are threatening to discourage students, families, and , is discriminating against employees. It’s a private school right, but should it receive public funding? Research also shows that minority students in Indiana are not proportionately represented in the distribution of vouchers.
School choice may sound like an empowering policy to promote equity, but it doesn’t work that way. To make matters worse, her $100 million, half of what she pays out to voucher students, is in private hands and is often difficult to track.
A bipartisan group, the Indiana Public Education Coalition, lists eight reasons why public funding should stay with public school students. Public schools are the foundation of democracy. Public schools need financial security. Public schools are the heart of the community. Public schools cater to all income levels. Public schools are steadily improving. Public schools are not denominations. Public schools are transparent (taxpayers can track how their money is spent). For more information on each reason, see his ICPE website.
Is Indiana’s current education funding system contrary to the very principles of education that we seek to support as citizens of a democracy? Candidates urged citizens to contact state legislators about how education spending is flowing in Indiana. The incumbent encouraged higher teacher salaries and more localized control of education costs. We want to keep our county public schools strong. Get information, ask questions, call lawmakers, vote.
A nonpartisan, multi-issue organization, the League of Women Voters encourages active and informed participation in government, deepens public understanding of key policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. give. All men and women are invited to join her LWV, where practical work to defend democracy leads to the betterment of citizens. For more information, visit her website www.lwvmontcoin.org or her Facebook page for the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Indiana.
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