Controversy looms over second half of Indiana General Assembly's 'education session'

The Republican-controlled House and Senate so far seem to have fulfilled Republican Gov. Mike Pence's wish that this year's legislative focus be "an education session."

Both chambers have advanced Pence-endorsed proposals (House Bill 1609, Senate Bill 1) removing Glenda Ritz, the Democratic state superintendent of public instruction, from her post as chairwoman of the Pence-appointed State Board of Education.

Last week, the House approved a Pence-backed measure (House Bill 1638), despite emphatic opposition by state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, granting the state school board authority to start taking over entire school corporations -- even though the board so far has failed to turn around any of the five poor-rated schools it took over three years ago, including Gary's Roosevelt College and Career Academy.

It also voted to provide teachers an annual income tax credit of up to $200 for classroom supply purchases (House Bill 1005) and endorsed Pence's "Freedom to Teach" proposal providing state-funded salary boosts to high-quality educators (House Bill 1009).

Across the rotunda, the Senate agreed to impose new limits on teacher collective bargaining (Senate Bill 538) and approved a 236-page "deregulation" measure (Senate Bill 500) that would junk nearly all state requirements for schools and education.

In addition, the General Assembly quickly responded to Pence's demand for a reduction in the duration of this year's ISTEP-Plus standardized exam, passing Senate Bill 62 just days after Ritz identified the law changes needed to shorten the test.

However, the Legislature has not automatically followed the governor's lead on all education issues.

The House's two-year state budget proposal (House Bill 1001) spends nearly twice as much new money than Pence proposed for classroom instruction, and alters the school funding formula to direct more of those funds to suburban school corporations at the expense of urban districts.

Representatives also voted down a State Board of Education wish list (House Bill 1072) that would have transferred many of the powers currently exercised by Ritz's Department of Education to the state school board.

Nevertheless, Pence proclaimed Thursday it has been "a very successful session," and that he is "very pleased with the progress that we're making on a broad range of education initiatives."

House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, was less enthusiastic about the overall direction of Pence's education policies, but said he was satisfied Democrats were able to stop some of the worst ideas.

"We don't get to rule the state. We can't impose our will on the majority, but I'm very gratified and appreciative that my caucus did an outstanding job in the tasks that were assigned to it by Providence," Pelath said.

Controversy looming?

Northwest Indiana lawmakers will play key roles in the Senate debate over education funding, with three of the five members on the Appropriations School Funding Subcommittee hailing from the region: state Sens. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso; Earline Rogers, D-Gary; and Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes.

While they work on crafting a school funding formula that ultimately must be reconciled with the House version, the focus of the legislative session this month is expected to turn to controversial issues that skated through the first half without much uproar.

Union contractors are set to fill the Statehouse on Monday with building trades workers protesting the possible repeal of Indiana's 80-year-old common construction wage law (House Bill 1019), and the negative economic effects of encouraging low-paid, out-of-state workers to bid on public building projects.

Freedom Indiana, the coalition of business and community groups that last year stopped a proposed state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, also will be out in force in coming days trying to halt a religious "freedom" proposal (Senate Bill 101) they claim is a license to discriminate.

Land-based gaming (House Bill 1540), state support for an Indianapolis soccer stadium (House Bill 1273), three abortion-related proposals (Senate Bills 329, 334 and 546), a constitutional amendment establishing a right to hunt and fish (Senate Joint Resolution 2) and new regulations on strippers (Senate Bill 296), smokers (Senate Bill 463) and midwives (House Bill 1548) also are set for legislative action.

Amid the probable chaos, region residents will be watching closely to ensure two measures — continuing state funding for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority through expansion of the South Shore Line (House Bill 1618) and refocusing the agency on big transportation and infrastructure projects (House Bill 1398) — advance through the Senate.

Lawmakers have until mid-April to win passage of their legislation by the second chamber and then two more weeks to work out differences in the separately approved versions.

The General Assembly is required by law to adjourn for the year April 29.