It is refreshing to get back to work and once again focus on the 2011 legislative agenda after the unprecedented hiatus from the minority party. Republicans have highlighted many crucial issues facing Hoosiers this session, most notably, education reform. Public education has been a source of considerable debate garnering support from both sides of the aisle. The feedback from all Hoosiers - students, parents, and teachers - has been paramount to shaping the legislation. The level of rhetoric regarding education reform over the past month has prohibited the actual impact of legislation such as House Bill (HB) 1002, the charter school bill, from being heard by all Hoosiers. HB 1002 was co-authored by Republican House Speaker Bosma, Rep. Behning, Rep. Noe and Democrat Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan. The purpose of this bill is to expand education opportunities for all Hoosier students.
Charter schools are public schools. They are held to the same accountability measures and academic requirements as traditional public schools including ISTEP testing. A public charter school must accept all students who apply, space allowing, regardless of socioeconomic background, race or special needs. Charter schools adhere to an open door policy.
Wabash and Kosciusko counties have great, high quality teachers and schools. There is a possibility that we may never see a charter school, but there are other areas of the state that are waiting patiently to have a charter school be a solution to their educational woes. A parent who has a child in a school with a graduation rate between 35 percent and 40 percent year after year should be afforded the opportunity to apply and attend a charter school. Currently, over 3,500 students are on waiting lists to get into charter schools. These parents simply want their child to learn in an environment which would give them the best opportunity to succeed.
Charter schools are not a silver bullet for education reform but should be a viable option for families. Many opponents to charter schools state they will take money away from traditional public schools. This is not true. There are multiple variables that factor into the school funding formula. First, the number of students attending a school plays a role, for example if enrollment goes down; it costs less to run the school, so the school receives reduced funding. Most importantly, charter schools actually receive less funding to operate than a traditional public school because public schools are provided funding through per-pupil amount, facilities, and transportation, while charter schools only receive the per-pupil amount.
Supporting the growing number of charter schools will not cause traditional public schools to close, but rather fulfills the need of offering families additional opportunities to best meet their child's needs
My support for any legislation that reforms our education system will be contingent on whether the legislation provides an excellent educational foundation for future generations and provides quality education options for Hoosier families. Our focus should be on the kids, not where they attend school.
