Indiana Lawmakers Send Gov. Holcomb Student-Centered Education Legislation

The Indiana General Assembly concluded a successful 2022 session last week, sending Gov. Eric Holcomb bills to create new learning options, support early literacy and remove barriers to work-based learning for Hoosier students.   Patricia Levesque, executive director, ExcelinEd in Action, issued the following statement:  

“Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Todd Huston, Chairman Bob Behning, Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, and Chairman Jeff Raatz, Indiana lawmakers advanced student-centered policies this year—and laid the groundwork for bold changes in 2023. We look forward to working with legislative leaders to deliver the education opportunities Hoosier students deserve.”

Key legislative accomplishments include: 

• Enrichment Scholarships: HB 1251, ready for Gov. Holcomb’s signature, establishes a new Enrichment Scholarship Program that allows students to receive up to $1,000 for additional education expenses, including tutoring, supplemental instructional services and educational support to address lost learning in reading and math.  
• Leading the Nation on Parent-Teacher Compacts: Another provision of HB 1251 will help Indiana take the nation’s first step to allow parents to directly enter into agreements with teachers to provide flexible learning environments for students by creating an initial report on the program. 
• Early Literacy: SB 123, signed into law this week, will help more Indiana students learn to read by requiring all public schools to identify students with dyslexia and provide additional intervention plans into place to help students struggling with reading. 
• Transportation Flexibility: HB 1251 also sets the stage for future innovations that ensure all students can receive transportation to the schools of their choice by cutting red tape and, allowing for vehicles other than yellow school buses to safely transport students. 
• Work-Based Learning: HB 1094, signed into law this week, will help incentivize employers to provide more work-based learning opportunities by requiring the Indiana Department of Education to provide students participating in work-based learning with workers compensation insurance.  

There is still important work to be done. When lawmakers convene in 2023, they will have an opportunity to finish work they started this session to close funding gaps for charter schools. Right now, charter schools in Indiana receive between $3,000 – $5,000 less per student than other public schools, with much of the gap coming from funding set aside for school facilities.