STATEHOUSE (Jan. 27, 2021) – The Indiana House of Representatives recently voted in support of legislation to fully fund all K-12 public school students for the 2020-21 school year, regardless of whether students attended classes in-person or virtually due to COVID-19, according to State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City).
Prescott said the pandemic caused many traditional public schools to shift from in-person classes to remote learning. Under current law, schools receive 85% of tuition support per virtual student, which is defined as a child learning 50% or more of their instruction online.
This means many schools would qualify for the lower funding amount because of moving classes online. This legislation, which now advances to the Senate for consideration, would help mitigate requirements under current law and allow K-12 public schools to receive 100% funding for each student, whether they attended classes in-person or virtually.
"While the goal is to have students attend school in-person, this was not always possible over the last year," Prescott said. "This legislation would ensure Indiana schools that took the necessary precautions to go virtual when needed, do not lose out on critical funding."
To learn more about House Bill 1003 and watch legislative proceedings online, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) represents House District 33, which
includes Jay and Randolph counties, and a portion of Delaware County.
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