State Rep. Porter issues statement on Republicans’ proposed school funding formula

INDIANAPOLIS – State Representative Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis), ranking Democrat on the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee, today issued the following statement on the school funding formula proposed in House Bill 1001.

Porter says the proposal introduced by Chairman Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville) to the state biennial budget bolsters Republicans' school choice agenda, while depriving traditional K-12 public schools of critical funding amid a global pandemic.

“The school funding formula introduced today is furthering the GOP's education 'separate and unequal' agenda by effectively creating 'haves' and 'have-nots,'” Porter said. “My colleagues across the aisle believe they have a right to determine which child's future is worth investing in and which is not. The 'money follows the child' mantra has been, and always will be, a weak excuse for defunding the public school system responsible for educating 88% of Hoosier students. If this proposal stands, school districts could lose up to nearly 10% of funding and tens of thousands of students could suffer due to arbitrary and shortsighted policy.

“It defies logic that elected officials would blindly cut traditional K-12 education without fully understanding the economic and learning consequences of the ongoing public health emergency. Republicans brag about increased K-12 spending while siphoning money from the schools educating a majority of students. Hoosier school districts and educators, who have already been facing the repercussions of the supermajority's financial apathy, are in dire need of tangible support from the Statehouse, not another legislative session spent fighting for scraps. 

“I will be working closely with my colleagues in the House to strengthen this punitive, shortsighted budget proposal for our brick-and-mortar schools. It is the least we can do.”