Authored by Speaker of the Indiana House, Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, HEA 1002 will create a scholarship fund for Hoosier high school students who aspire to be teachers. High students ranking in the top 20 percent of their graduating class could be eligible to receive up to $7,500 per year to help pay for four years of (in-state) college. To be eligible to receive the funds, students must agree to stay and teach in Indiana schools for five years after they graduate college and become teachers.
According to not-for-profit education advocacy group Stand for Children Indiana, the bill’s effectiveness will depend on the legislature’s future commitment to funding these scholarships in the near and long term. Legislators must follow through in the longer 2017 budget session by adding necessary funding to before the program could make a measurable impact. Currently, no funding is in place, and the first potential recipient of a teaching scholarship would be June of 2017.
According to an interview with Bosma earlier in the legislative session, 200 students would benefit in the first year of the program, at a cost of $1.5 million. Eventually, 800 students will benefit, at a cost of $6 million per year. The first four years of the program’s enactment will cost the state $15.2 million.
“In Indiana, and across the country, teaching has tragically fallen from the ranks of top professions, despite the fact our educators are the most important people in shaping future leaders and building a great workforce,” said Stand for Children Indiana’s Executive Director Justin Ohlemiller.
Critics of the legislation argue that while a beneficial piece of legislation, it may not go far enough. Nothing has been done to address loan forgiveness of current educators, nor does this bill help anyone who is presently in college pursuing a degree in education.
“Loan forgiveness was not included in HEA 1002. However, this will remain one of Stand Indiana’s top priorities moving forward. Everything from significantly bolstering salaries to improving teacher preparation to offering loan forgiveness to educators needs to be on the table if we’re going to truly raise up the teaching profession,” said Stand for Children Indiana communications and marketing director, Kate Shepherd. “Teaching is one of the most important jobs in our society and most members of the profession say it is a calling. The more attractive we can make it for people to answer that call, and the more we can do to elevate the profession, the better. The majority of teachers are extremely dedicated to their students. It’s a difficult job, but Stand Indiana is confident that Hoosiers will continue to enter this incredibly rewarding profession. “
The Indiana General Assembly reconvenes in January, 2017 to draw up a new two-year budget for the State, and appropriate funding to programs like the teaching scholarship fund.
