Indiana House Republicans unveiled an expansive bill that would eliminate a range of school regulations at the state level.
Party leaders said in a press conference Tuesday that this is the first step of a larger effort to overhaul Indiana’s current education framework and give schools more decision-making power.
Among other things, the 138-page HB 1002 would slash requirements for staff training, certain advisory committees and some school programs.
Rep. Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis), the bill’s author, said it will greatly ease regulatory burdens on schools if passed.
“The goal is to try to deregulate, give schools the ability to teach and not constantly have to check boxes,” he said.
Behning said individual schools and districts can decide which trainings are beneficial and choose which ones to mandate. He said other areas of Indiana’s education code list things schools can already choose to do, so those items don’t need to be codified.
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He said he expects the bill to go through changes in committee but emphasized that easing restrictions on schools will allow them to focus on improving instruction at the classroom level.
“I think if we really are sincere about wanting to deregulate and take the shackles off, then we’re going to have to be willing to get dirty a little bit and say OK, let’s let locals make that decision rather than the state knowing best for everybody,” Behning said.
This is the first step in a three-year plan to deregulate Indiana education. Behning said Republican lawmakers hope to cut 60,000 words from Indiana code over that period.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Education Committee Wednesday morning.
Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.