Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann. Courtesy photo
Ellspermann on other legislative issues
On the revamped school funding formula: “Like any formula, it will never be perfect for every school corporation,” but she was pleased that lawmakers took a close look at one aspect of the formula — the complexity index — something that Ellspermann said she had lots of questions about during her time as a member of the Indiana House.
On the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act: “I think we came out of it fine. ... We listened. We responded. And we’re going forward with efforts in moving tourism forward but also in rebranding the state.”
Education in Indiana needs to start focusing more on career awareness — and it needs to start doing so earlier, said Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann.
Ellspermann heads up six state agencies — including the office of tourism development and the office of small business and entrepreneurship — and serves as the state’s secretary of agriculture and rural development among other responsibilities. Tuesday, during an afternoon visit to the Herald-Times, she said that the state has a big gap to make up in training in its secondary and post-secondary institutions.
More money in the state’s biennial budget — about $50 million — for career and technical education, along with more money for education and higher education in general, is a good step, she said.
That’s because career and technical education is important throughout high school to ensure students complete a certification, at minimum, or go on to earn a two- or four-year degree, Ellspermann said.
And in a year where members of the two main political parties can’t seem to agree on much of anything, Ellspermann and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz agree that there needs to be some kind of career awareness class before students get to high school, likely in seventh or eighth grade, the lieutenant governor said.
Most high school seniors can tell you where they want to go to college, Ellspermann said. But the focus, she said, now needs to shift to a desired career path.
“It’s not unusual, but expensive, to not know your career path early,” she said, pointing to low four-year graduation rates and the 750,000 Hoosiers who have started college but not completed a program.
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