INDIANAPOLIS — Rural and suburban schools may see more state dollars under a measure announced by Republicans who control the state House of Representatives.
Citing a “great disparity” among public schools, House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, pledged to narrow the funding gap by boosting the base amount that schools receive per pupil and revising a “complexity” formula that directs more dollars to poor, urban schools.
“There’s been a change over 20 years in the school funding formula to try to equalize funding,” Bosma said at a Statehouse press conference Tuesday. “It’s been a slow process.”
Bosma and the House GOP leadership announced priorities for the next legislative session — a critical budget year — in anticipation of keeping the 69-31 super-majority control of the chamber after November’s election. Senate Republicans, who also have a super-majority, are expected to announce similar priorities soon.
House Republicans also listed ethics reform, a balanced budget, and an increased focus on public health and safety among their priorities.
Noticeably absent was any mention of tax cuts, which have been pushed by Republican Gov. Mike Pence but questioned by lawmakers for their potential impact on state revenues.
Bosma said it’s time to take a “breather” and gauge the results of sweeping tax-reduction measures over the past decade.
The Republicans’ list won faint praise from House Democrats.
“If you close your eyes for a moment, some of what the House Republicans advocated today sounded like they were reading from a book written by House Democrats,” said Minority Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City.
The item with the most potential to have an immediate impact back home is the focus on school funding.
Schools now receive $5,500 to $9,500 in state and federal dollars for every student. The range depends on a formula that gives more money to schools with lower-income students, and in the past, protected funding for shrinking school districts.
Bosma aims to increase the base amount and narrow the gap in what districts receive.
In addition, he said it’s time to “incentivize” school consolidations to direct more dollars into classrooms and away from administrative costs.
Some low-population counties in Indiana, he noted, have up to a half-dozen school corporations.
While consolidation wouldn’t be mandated under Republicans’ plans, Bosma said there will be “concerted efforts” to get districts to see that as an option.
About 60 to 65 percent of education dollars statewide are spent on classroom learning, he said, with the rest going to overhead — including administrators’ salaries and building costs.
Republican leaders also pledged a bipartisan approach to ethics reform, focusing on toughening disclosure laws to avoid potential conflicts of interest. The issue was pushed to the forefront earlier this year when Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, was scrutinized for his role in helping to kill legislation that would have temporarily halted nursing home construction and harmed his family’s nursing home development company.
Turner announced in September that he would resign his seat if re-elected in November to take a job with an Atlanta-based Christian organization that trains political and business leaders.
On public health and safety, House Republicans say they will take another look at the new sentencing guidelines to ensure the “worst of the worst” criminals are punished. They pledged to provide more support for domestic violence programs, and to identify incentives for health providers to address the state’s high infant mortality rate.
House Democrats noted their side has pushed for several of these proposals in the past.
“Yes, it is time to invest in our public schools again,” said Pelath in a statement. “But never forget the reason our schools are suffering: These same Indianapolis power brokers took a meat cleaver to them time and time again.”
Pelath, though, applauded Bosma’s pledge to push for ethics reform.
“Reforms are clearly needed,” he said. “And House Democrats are ready to do the hard work.”