By Shelby Mullis
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana House Republicans say there is “no doubt” the next two-year state budget will have new money for K-12 education, but how much remains up in the air.

House GOP leaders, piloted by House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, unveiled their 2019 legislative agenda Monday with the Department of Child Services’ needs, school funding and teacher pay high on its list of priorities this session.

Bosma said their No. 1 priority, however, is passing a balanced two-year budget – and spending no more than the state takes in is mandatory under a state constitutional amendment approved in November by voters.

That means getting all the pieces to fit together. But with limited dollars and demands from DCS for an additional $286 million over the next two fiscal years, Bosma said lawmakers must focus on funding the state’s key priorities. Those include K-12 education, which currently accounts for more than half of Indiana’s $32 billion biennial budget.

While Bosma said K-12 education will see an increase, lawmakers will still be challenged to work with existing education dollars. Gov. Eric Holcomb, who has joined the call for more money for teachers, has said the issue needs to be studied first before adding more money to the budget. This could mean larger steps might not be taken until 2021.

House Republicans have partnered with the Indiana State Teachers Association, Teach Plus and Stand for Children Indiana to craft their proposed policies, including House Bill 1003. Focused on directing more money into the classroom, the bill, authored by Rep. Dale DeVon, R-Granger. encourages schools to shift more existing and future dollars to their classrooms.

Schools would be asked to devote at least 85 percent of operational funds to instructional expenses, including teacher pay, textbooks and resources. The remaining 15 percent could be used for administrative costs. Bosma said some schools are already spending more than 90 percent on instructional expenses, and more need to follow their lead.

If all the state’s public schools met this goal, Bosma said, the state could see more than $350 million in new classroom resources, including enough for a 5-percent salary increase or more for Indiana’s teachers.

As written, the legislation does not offer any consequences to schools who do not meet the suggested 85 percent. Bosma said schools would just be subject to public disclosure, making communities aware of whether their district is able to make the commitment.

“Would I like to see more teeth to it? Sure,” said Teresa Meredith, president of the Indiana State Teachers Association. “But I think that may come down the line. We’ll see what happens in the conversation.”

House Republicans also outlined proposed plans for a one-year residency program that would pair beginning teachers with mentors, plus a new grant program for veteran teachers. Both are designed to attract and retain teachers in the state.

Democrats were fast to speak out against the Republicans’ plan to increase teacher salaries as too little and too slow to hit teachers’ wallets.

“House Republicans unveiled an agenda so out of touch, it’s like we’re living in two different states,” said John Zody, Indiana Democratic Party chairman, in a news release. “Statehouse Republicans’ teacher pay scheme is moving a dollar from your left pocket to your right. It might feel good, but it isn’t having a real impact.”

Members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus also prioritized increasing teacher pay when presenting their agenda Monday. Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, said a salary increase is not only needed to combat the rising teacher shortage by making the field more enticing, but also to show teachers the General Assembly values its efforts.

According to U.S. Labor Department data, Indiana ranks No. 37 on the list ranking states from the highest to lowest median annual salary for public and private school K-12 teachers. Indiana, at $49,759, is the lowest among surrounding states, trailing No. 13 Michigan, No. 16 Illinois, No. 17 Ohio and No. 30 Kentucky. When cost of living is applied, Indiana – which is 9.3 percent lower than the national average — comes in at the 16^thlowest median annual salary.

“Kentucky’s higher than us?” said Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis. “We should be embarrassed by that.”

FOOTNOTE:m Emily Ketterer contributed to this report. She and Shelby Mullis are reporters for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.