The Frankfort Education Association and the Community Schools of Frankfort Board of Education passed a resolution at Tuesday night’s board meeting about the state possibly passing laws that would affect education in Frankfort and statewide.
Superintendent Joel McKinney says “Our school corporation and teachers’ association agree that House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 413 do not represent responsible spending of public tax dollars and only further delay opportunities to improve teacher pay in Indiana which continues to lag behind most other states.” He added that other school corporations in our area and around the state are passing similar resolutions in an effort to bring attention to these bills.
Here is the resolution:
WHEREAS, the Indiana General Assembly during its 2021 legislative session is considering HB 1005 and SB 413; bills that establish Education Savings (or Scholarship) Accounts (ESAs) and dramatically increase funding for school choice scholarships; and
WHEREAS, education savings accounts give parents the equivalent of a taxpayer-funded debit card to pay for private school tuition, unregulated home schools, and educational services such as tutoring; and
WHEREAS, public funds should be invested in public schools, which serve all children; and
WHEREAS, public schools are subject to fiscal transparency and accountability as well as public oversight, and non-public schools are not. All schools that receive public funds should be held to the same standards; and
WHEREAS, education savings accounts would be funded out of the K-12 tuition support appropriation at the expense of public schools and would consume much of Governor Holcomb’s recommended tuition support increases; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 413 seek to expand the use of the Choice Voucher Scholarship eligibility; and
WHEREAS, the aforementioned Parties believe that this type of legislation does not give real choice to families as private and religious schools can discriminate in whom they educate;
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Parties strongly oppose this legislation and urge legislators to oppose it, and any other legislation that directs funding away from Indiana public schools.
The resolution was signed by Frankfort Education Association President Krista Shoaf, Community Schools of Frankfort Board President Sandra Miller and Community Schools of Frankfort Board Secretary James McQuade.