Indianapolis, Indiana – According to state budget projections unveiled by Governor Eric Holcomb on Wednesday, Indiana schools would receive a 6% funding increase in 2019.
Despite concerns about an anticipated slowing in the growth of state tax collections, the Republican governor’s plan would provide K–12 schools with their highest budget increase in more than a decade. The increased funds are intended to raise the average teacher compensation across the state by around $3,000 to at least $60,000 annually.
Holcomb’s suggestion comes as the Republican-controlled Legislature is about to begin its 2023 session, with the passage of a new two-year state budget being its main agenda item.
The governor’s plans also include for removing textbook fees for children enrolled in public schools by allocating $160 million to regional schools to offset the expense. Democrats and many education activists have long criticized textbook fees as an unfair additional expense for families, and Indiana is one of the few states that still permit them.
For local public health programs to be strengthened over the next two years, $300 million in additional investment is proposed. County health departments, which are mostly supported by local taxation, are currently given roughly $7 million annually by the state.
