Charter school push under way: Expansion part of Daniels' agenda on education.

SouthBendTribune.com:

INDIANAPOLIS — Legislation aimed at growing the number of Indiana charter schools — a key ingredient in Gov. Mitch Daniels' education reform agenda — received its first hearing Wednesday in the General Assembly.

The House Education Committee listened to more than four hours of testimony on House Bill 1002 and then scheduled a vote on it for next week.

The bill could authorize more mayors, some private colleges and universities, and a new state board to sponsor charter schools. Under current law, only school boards, the mayor of Indianapolis and public four-year universities are authorized as sponsors.

H.B. 1002 would also seek to redistribute some transportation funds from public school corporations to charter schools, allow charter schools to lease vacant and underused public school buildings for $1 per year, and enable parents to petition a public school to be converted to a charter school.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, is the lead author of H.B. 1002. He said the Indiana schools that are showing the most improvement in student performance are charter schools, and "children with the least advantages" are making those gains....(more)


Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett Statement on HB 1002 Passing House Education Committee:

Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett offered the following statement in response to HB 1002’s successful passage in the House Education Committee today:

“I applaud the members of the House Education Committee for passing House Bill 1002 today, opening the door for more high-quality charters in every part of the state. In particular, I commend Speaker Bosma for his leadership as the bill’s author and for his 15-year commitment to increasing public choice for Indiana students. The bipartisan group of legislators who join him as co-authors of HB 1002 — Reps. Behning, Sullivan and Noe — prove education is an issue that transcends personal politics and gets to the heart of what’s most important to our state’s ongoing success and growth: its future citizens.

“HB 1002 isn’t just about sponsoring more charters; the bill pairs increased options with increased accountability — making sure we’re only offering the best possible educational opportunities to our students. Today was a solid first step toward transforming our schools with a comprehensive package of reforms that put children first. I am confident Indiana’s legislators will continue to work together to act now for Indiana’s students.”