Errington comments on long overdue budget increase for Muncie area schools, community resources

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Sue Errington (D-Indianapolis) today expressed her appreciation for the state's investment in Muncie area schools, which will receive a significant increase in funding under this year's budget, and in vital community resources like food banks and mental health resources.

Under Indiana's budget, Muncie area schools are estimated to receive the following allocations:

• Muncie Community Schools (MCS) will receive about $39 million each year through 2023.
• Burris Laboratory School will receive between $4.5 million and $5.2 million each year through 2023.
• The Indiana Academy of Science, Mathematics and Humanities will receive about $1.2 million each year through 2023.
• Inspire Academy will receive between $1 million and $1.6 million each year through 2023.

The state will also recommend that these schools raise their base teacher pay to $40,000 a year, with the goal of inspiring more young people to become teachers and encouraging younger teachers to stay in Indiana's school system.

“This is the first time in my memory that Muncie Community Schools has received a budget increase,” Errington said.

“MCS has worked very hard to turn the ship around and be more fiscally responsible. This is the perfect time to provide them with these additional funds and resources so that they can keep their momentum. I look forward to seeing how my district's schools evolve and grow with this new support.”

Errington also commended the state's investment of $2 million to food banks and $100 million to mental health services, noting that these services will improve the health and overall quality of life for Indiana's communities.

“Indiana has been in the bottom of the nation in health and lifestyle for far too long,” Errington said.

“Expanding access to healthy food and professional mental health services is truly a step forward for Hoosiers and their health. I will continue to work to ensure that the improvements we make today don't disappear in our future budgets. We were very fortunate that the Biden administration and Congress passed the federal stimulus packages that gave Indiana this financial flexibility and I urge the General Assembly to work to build upon this good fortune in future sessions.”