Indiana continues to lead the way in supporting Hoosier students and their families, and this year’s legislative session was no different. Through the newly passed two-year state budget, we made strong investments in K-12 education and greatly expanded school choice for students.
About half of Indiana’s $47 billion state budget is dedicated to K-12 education and we continued to prioritize students this year. In fact, we invested almost $2.3 billion in new funding for K-12 education and student funding support will increase by 10% over the next two years. This session, I authored legislation to eliminate textbook and curricular fees for parents, which was ultimately included in the state budget. This important change could save parents thousands of dollars in fees over the course of their child’s education.
Indiana also made great strides this legislative session in expanding school choice options for students. The state budget increases the income eligibility threshold, which means nearly every Hoosier family could send their child to the school that best fits their needs.
To boost the number of career-ready students, those in grades 10-12 can soon use Career Scholarship Accounts to pay for career training or industry-recognized certification. Additionally, the state will review graduation requirements to better accommodate these experiences. Public high schools will host annual career fairs to encourage connections between students and employers.
We also made sure that career and technical education in our schools continues to receive critical funding. Locally, Evansville Community Schools’ Career and Technical Education is second to none, offering courses in agriscience, business, health science and more.
Overall, it’s important to recognize that for many students, a four-year degree is not the best fit, so providing them with opportunities while still in high school can make all the difference as they enter the workforce.
