School vouchers expand as Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signs measure at Calvary
Christian School
Surrounded by dozens of cheering students from eight religious schools, Gov. Mike Pence
on Thursday signed into law a measure that will let more children use tax dollars to enroll
in such schools. The new law — House Enrolled Act 1003 — builds on what was already
the nation’s most open voucher program, enacted two years ago by the legislature. Under
the new changes, even more students will be able to get vouchers to cover the costs of
private school tuition.
Entering Calvary Christian School on the Southside, Pence drew cheers from about 150
students from Calvary and seven other Indianapolis private schools and their parents.
The uniform-clad students waved signs that read “I Yearn to Learn” and “School Choice
Now.”
“I’ve long believed that parents should be able to choose the school that works best for
their kids,” Pence told them. “In Indiana, parents have that choice, and thanks to the
legislation that we are signing today, even more parents will be able to make what they
believe is the best educational choice for their kids. “It’s the right thing to ensure that
our children are not required to attend schools that don’t work for them because their
parents don’t have the financial means to relocate or send them to a different school,” the
governor said
Indianapolis Star, May 10, 2013. Written by Mary Beth Schneider.
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Glenda Ritz: Third party could review ISTEP testing scores; normal levels of
testing to resume Monday
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz expressed confidence Friday that
the state’s ISTEP online testing network has been fixed — but said a third party likely
will be needed to review the final scores.
Ritz said teachers across the state on Monday will be able to give the online test to all
scheduled students, a return to normal since they were asked to reduce test sessions by
50 percent because of computer system failures earlier in the week. Test administrator
CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC has been under fire from educators and parents because it has
not been able to provide a day of tests without limitations or problems.
“The general public and you, rightfully so, will feel the testing this year is not valid,”
Ritz said in a conference call with school superintendents statewide. “So we are going to
be wrestling with the validity of test scores.”
Indianapolis Star, May 3, 2013. Written by Eric Weddle
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FEDERAL LEGISLATION
The Success in the Middle Act of 2013 was introduced on April 11. You can find the Act here.
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