January 14, 2014 // Local

Preschool voucher to assist low-income families clears House panel

Todays Catholic

INDIANAPOLIS — A bill to give low income families with young children access to an early education voucher passed the House Education Committee Jan. 9. The Indiana Catholic Conference supports the legislation.

The measure, House Bill 1004, establishes the early education scholarship pilot program. The program would provide supplemental funding for eligible children receiving eligible services from certain early education providers. Beginning after June 30, 2015, an eligible child may receive a scholarship through the program. Under the plan, a child or a sibling of a child who receives an early education scholarship and meets certain other applicable criteria is eligible for the Choice Scholarship program from grades K-12.

Glenn Tebbe, executive director for the Indiana Catholic Conference said, “The program outlined in HB 1004 will provide needed assistance to families who may experience more obstacles and whose children are often without sufficient opportunities that benefit their social and cognitive development.”

Tebbe added, “Public policy should maximize the quality of educational opportunities for all children by ensuring that all parents have access to and the financial capability to exercise the right to choose the school they believe is best for their children.”

The bill, authored by three Indianapolis lawmakers, House Education Chairman Rep. Bob Behning and House Speaker Brian Bosma, both Republicans, and Democrat lawmaker Rep. Shelli Vandenburgh, initiates a preschool pilot program in five counties across Indiana. The plan targets low-income children who would receive a voucher to attend a state approved, high-quality preschool program.

“We have done a lot in moving education and education reform forward. The greatest need where we have not done a lot is the area of early childhood education,” said Behning. “There is no question, Indiana is behind the rest of the nation in providing early childhood education especially to children of poverty.”

Under the bill, eligible students would come from families at 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which is $43,567 for a family of four according the federal Health and Human Services Department. Students selected for the pilot program would receive $6,800 to attend a high-quality preschool program for a child attending a full-day program or $3,400 for a child who attends a half-day program. The bill would authorize the program, however, funding would need to be allocated during the 2015 budget session.

Leaders from the business community around Indiana spoke in favor of the legislation during the Jan. 9 education hearing.

Connie Bond Stuart, regional vice president for PNC Bank of Indianapolis, testified in support of the bill noting that PNC Bank has committed $350 million over multiple years to assist in early childhood initiatives. Stuart said that research shows for every $1 invested in early childhood education the state saves $16 in later remediation. Stuart said, “Every child deserves a chance to be prepared to learn and ultimately be successful with a productive life.”

Angela Smith Jones, director of public policy for the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, said early childhood education has been their organization’s top priority for the past 10 years. She added that early childhood education boosts the overall academic success for children throughout their school years and “provides a home-grown pipeline of workforce-ready individuals for our business community.”

Derek Redelman, vice president of education and workforce policy for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, echoed Smith’s remarks saying early childhood education was a “high priority” and “critical approach” to the business community.

While public schools advocates have a history of being strong supporters of preschool education, several raised concerns about some of the specifics of the bill.

Vic Smith, representing the Indiana Coalition of Public Education, rose in opposition to the legislation and said, “We need to end the erosion of public school funding.” Since House Bill 1004 gives students in the pilot program an automatic entry point into the state’s Choice Scholarship voucher program for grades K-12, he claims it would lead to increased funds being diverted from public to private schools.

“As the K-12 voucher program grows, public school students get fewer resources,” said Smith.

John O’Neal, of the Indiana State Teachers Association, raised similar concerns that the pilot program would serve as a “feeder system” into the K-12 voucher program.

Vandenburgh asked Behning if he would consider removing the portion of the bill, which gives children access to the K-12 Choice Scholarship. Behning reminded Vandenburgh about the coming Senate battle to get the bill passed and that many members in the Senate who are not very pro-early education, voted for the bill last year primarily because it had the Choice Scholarship entry point. For now, Behning said he was keeping that part of the bill intact.

House Bill 1004 now moves to its second reading on the House floor where it may be amended before it reaches its third reading and a final House vote.

Resources

Legislative Action Center available via the ICC web page (www.indianacc.org)

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Statehouse Calendar

Jan. 7 — Session began

Jan. 14 — Governor’s State of the State Address

Feb. 3 — Third reading deadline for House bills in the House

Feb. 5 — Third reading deadline for Senate bills in the Senate

March 3 — Third reading deadline for Senate bills in the House.

March 4 — Third reading deadline for House bills in the Senate.

March 14 — Session adjourns