Even GOP House Education and Budget Committee school districts lose on textbook funding gimmick

Due to an accounting ploy by Indiana House Republicans, traditional K-12 schools across the state, including in GOP districts, will be on the hook financially for students' textbook costs and saddled with an effective budget cut. Indiana House Democrats today called attention to just how much schools in Republican districts have to lose under the plan passed unanimously by their GOP representation at the Statehouse. To show the figures, Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) pointed to the education and budget committee’s district losses which reach into the millions.  

The House GOP plans to fulfill Gov. Eric Holcomb’s promise for free textbooks by putting the burden on cash-strapped public schools. The proposed budget eliminates textbook funding and instead will force schools to pay for the cost of textbooks out of their state funding, even for students on free and reduced lunches, which the state currently covers.  

On the surface, most public school districts are receiving some sort of an increase in base student funding from 2023 to 2024. Because of the textbook provision, however, that increase is either slashed or turns negative once textbook costs are factored in. Given inflation is at 6.0%, most school districts are thus receiving a practical funding cut. 

Below are tables that break down the funding cuts that will be experienced by all Republican-represented Indiana House districts, with representation on the educations or budget committees, once the textbook fees are factored in. Attached to this press release is further information on these calculations. 

Indiana House Education Committee: 

Indiana House Ways and Means Committee: 

“I don’t like to make a habit out of commenting on other districts’ affairs, but it’s imperative that Hoosiers across the state understand just how harmful this proposal will be and what’s at stake,” House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) said. “Too often, rural, suburban and urban school districts are pitted against each other. But the majority of our public school districts, which serve 90% of Hoosier kids, are getting a bad deal here. We must unite to stand up for our kids and say no to draining our schools of vital resources.

“I’m confused by House Republicans’ reluctance to give all schools a cost-of-inflation raise given their professed outrage over the past year’s inflation. Most schools are receiving less than a 6% increase, which would not keep up with current rates of inflation. It makes you wonder whether they’re really all that interested in turning their inflation complaints into action on behalf of their constituents, let alone all Hoosiers, despite being in charge of all branches of our government.

“House Republicans frequently gloat about Indiana’s lucrative surplus, but what good is a surplus if we don’t use it to help enhance the lives of our constituents and bolster programs such as public education? This scheme to deduct the cost of textbooks from a school’s annual budget is not only dishonest, it takes away from the resources schools have to give our children the best possible education.

“I am calling on my colleagues in the Senate to adopt Governor Holcomb’s original textbook proposal to avoid adverse effects on Hoosier school districts.”

As part of the House Republican budget proposal, this provision has passed out of the House and is now under consideration by the Senate. GiaQuinta encourages all concerned parents and residents to contact their state representative and senator to express dissatisfaction with the proposal.