Educators rallied at the Statehouse Monday to protest measures they said will hurt public education. One of those measures involves the complete dissolution of a public school district, but state education leaders also spoke out against the state budget and proposed property tax reform.
Indiana State Teachers Association President Keith Gambill had a message for communities: Call your lawmakers, tell them to stop the bills from passing, and encourage others to do the same.
“Hold their hand if you have to. Push the buttons on their cell phone if you have to, but we’ve got to make sure that we have everyone out there making a difference in the short time that we have left,” he said.
Gambill applauded the fact that the Senate’s version of the budget does not include a provision to remove the income limit on school vouchers. However, he said there is still a lot of work to do. He mentioned funding increases in HB 1001 that educators say do not keep pace with inflation and a reduction in property tax dollars in SB 1 that also requires those dollars to be shared with charter schools. Gambill said those changes will drain traditional public school districts of funding.
Gambill also raised alarm about a mastery-based pilot program in SB 373 that would allow school districts to opt-out of collective bargaining and other areas of Indiana law. Another pilot program created in the bill could result in Indianapolis Public Schools sharing buildings and school buses with local charter schools.
“We know how fast pilot programs can turn into statewide models, and we know what’s really at stake,” Gambill said. “Losing public oversight, losing worker rights, and losing community trust.”
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Additionally, a provision in the tax reform measure would completely dissolve Union School Corporation by July 1, 2027.
Galen Mast is the superintendent at Union School Corporation. He said if passed, that measure will set a dangerous precedent.
“We’re just the first. If this is a process they can do, can go through to force consolidation, it may be one school this year," Mast said. "There may be 15 or 20 next year, and the next year, 40 to 60 schools."
He said other public school leaders have shared concerns with him about what the provision could mean for their districts.
Gambill encouraged educators, parents and other public education advocates to continue to speak to lawmakers about their concerns. He said the stakes for traditional public schools are too high to ignore.
“We are in the final days of the legislative session, and decisions made in this building over the next two weeks will impact our schools, our students and our profession for years to come,” Gambill said.
Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.