Learning is fun...part two.

Did You Know?

Speaker Bosma authors bill that gives
Hoosier students more options

STATEHOUSE - House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) authored House Bill 1002, which will give charter schools an opportunity to thrive and increase student access to public school options.
"This is a major transformation, a revolutionary transformation in charter education in Indiana" said Speaker Bosma, "It is my goal and the shared goal of the coauthors of this bill to make Indiana the top charter school state in the nation with the passage of this legislation."

Indiana currently has 62 public charter schools that serve over 22,000 students. Currently, 3,500 students are on charter school waiting lists throughout the state.
HB 1002 expands education opportunities through charter schools by eliminating existing statutory caps on the number of charter schools and by increasing the type of entities that can serve as a sponsor of a charter school, both key points of the 'Strengthen Indiana Plan', the House Republican's legislative agenda for 2011.

The idea of charter schools is something that is not new to Speaker Bosma. He first introduced a bill on charter schools in 1995. Speaker Bosma is joined on the bill by Representative Robert Behning (R-Indianapolis), House Education Chairman; Representative Mary Ann Sullivan (D-Indianapolis), and Representative Cindy Noe (R-Indianapolis), all champions of increasing education options for Hoosier families.

Speaker Bosma began his presentation by tackling many myths that continue to be associated with Charter Schools; such as the student population that they serve. Indiana's public charter schools serve a diverse group of children. Sixty-six percent of students enrolled in charter schools are eligible for free and reduced lunch and seventy-one percent of students are members of ethnic minorities.

"We must take dramatic steps to move education forward and provide Hoosier students with more quality options and opportunities that meet the needs of all children. This is about taking students with the fewest advantages - and giving them the education that they deserve," said Speaker Bosma.
Main provisions introduced in this bill are:

• Increase the number of entities that can serve as charter school sponsors.
• Remove all existing caps in statute both for charter and virtual charter schools.
• Increase access to funding.
• Provide that charters will be held to the state's public school accountability standards.
• Require uniform and consistent transfer of credits when students transfer from a charter school to a public school.
• Allow charter schools to lease or purchase underutilized or unused public school buildings.
• Allow charters to opt in to the state health insurance plan.

Currently eighty-five percent of the families that have children enrolled in charter schools are satisfied, or extremely satisfied with their education.
"Charter public schools are not an educational silver bullet," said Speaker Bosma, "but a strong charter school system is certainly one key element in a dynamic and improved public school system in Indiana."

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