By TOM DAVIES
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s new state budget will expand eligibility for its private school voucher program to higher earners and speed up planned income tax rate cuts under a deal announced Wednesday by Republican legislative leaders.
Senate Republicans initially resisted both House-backed moves. But they were included in the budget agreement after an updated tax revenue report released last week showed the state is projected to collect about $1.5 billion, or 2.5% more than previously expected, through July 2025.
The Republican plan would leave about $650 million in additional money for traditional public schools and taxpayer-supported charter schools over the next two years. Democrats called that inadequate at a time when the state will have more than $2.5 billion in cash reserves.
The deal includes money to fill a request from Holcomb to eliminate school material and textbook rental fees charged to families — a step estimated to cost about $120 million a year. Indiana is among a handful of states still allowing textbook fees, which Democrats and many education advocates have long criticized as an unfair extra cost to families.