More Money for Good Schools

Republican State Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Buck Creek) Monday offered a legislative plan to reward Indiana’s highest performing public schools with additional state funding.

In an interview with Indy Politics Hershman said, Indiana public school corporations achieving ISTEP+ pass rates of 85 percent or higher on both the math and English/language arts portions of the test would receive an extra $500 per passing student. Based on 2011 scores, the statewide total for these flat performance grants would amount to approximately $17 million.

Currently, K-12 education funding accounts for more than half of Indiana’s general fund budget. This includes a remediation appropriation of approximately $3 million per year for schools who receive the lowest ISTEP+ scores in the state.

Hershman says the money would come from new funding sources and would not negatively impact poor performing schools.

You can hear Hershman’s comments below.  They run approximately 8 minutes.

Leon-Tailored Interview: State Sen. Brandt Hershman on rewarding good schools.