Statehouse – The Indiana House of Representatives voted Tuesday in support of legislation to fully fund all K-12 public school students for the 2020-21 school year, regardless of whether students attended classes in-person or virtually due to COVID-19, according to local legislators.
“We moved quickly to make sure that our schools are fully funded this year,” said State Rep. Cindy Ziemke. “Indiana continues to invest in education, and this funding will help schools focus on doing what’s best for students while managing through this pandemic.”
The pandemic caused many traditional public schools to shift from in-person classes to remote learning. He said under current law, schools receive 85% of tuition support per virtual student, defined as a child learning 50% or more of their instruction online, which would result in many schools qualifying for a lower funding amount because of moving classes online.
State Rep. Randy Lyness said House Bill 1003 would help mitigate requirements under current law and allow K-12 public schools to receive 100% funding for each student, whether they attended classes in-person or virtually.
The legislation now advances to the Senate for consideration. To learn more about House Bill 1003 and watch legislative proceedings online, visit iga.in.gov.
