Author: Phil Downs

Posted on

2025-2026 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary

Here is the big story.

IF the Voucher Program did not exist AND we funded each of the 995,279 public and charter students at the inflation adjusted per student budget allocation of the 2009-10 school year, THE STATE WOULD SAVE $153 PER STUDENT AND EACH STUDENT WOULD GET $473 MORE.

All comparisons run from Jan of 2010 to Sept of 2025 unless noted.

Since 2009-10, the Indiana General Fund (i.e., monies legislators control) has grown by 69.47%. The Consumer Price Index (inflation rate) has grown by 49.58%. The state has a lot more money ($2.7B) to spend than it did in 2009-10 relative to inflation.

Unfortunately, the K-12 Tuition Support Budget has grown by only 45.93%, well behind inflation. As of September of 2025, the current budget for public, charter, and voucher-receiving schools is $234.2M behind the 2009-10 budget when inflation is taken into account.

Continue reading “2025-2026 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary”
Posted on

What I believe about Public Education

Recently I have had the opportunity to think deeply and consider what I have found to be foundational to my views on public education. I thought I better set them down so I can find them.

    • Parents are the first and essential teachers of their children.
      • Parents know their children better than anyone AND are biased and may be conflicted.
      • Educators (the team, not necessarily THE teacher) know “children” better than any parent and can contextualize and advise parents.
      • Wise parents listen. Wise educators defer.
      • That partnership must be based on trust.
    • Public schools are the hub of diverse communities and should be considered an investment.
    • Teachers serve
      • as professional educators, providing consultation and partnership with parents;
      • as more experienced co-learners, providing wisdom, support, guidance, and an example for students;
      • and as contributing members of a community of learners.
    • Learning is not linear. It is not bound by time nor place. 
    • A culture of learning embraces change, diversity, flexibility, growth, and innovation built on a respect for tradition and history.
    • Learners best experience the joy of learning and working in a safe and secure educational environment.
    • Learning encompasses critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, citizenship, technology literacy, perseverance and resiliency.
    • Expertise is a team sport
    Posted on

    Reminders

    Minimize yourself
    Honor the place
    Honor the students and their families
    Support others as they do their work
    Listen to learn, ask to empower
    Look for the motivational story or theme
    Design your lessons accordingly

    Throughout history, we have done better when we work together and suffered when we work against each other.

    What are the conditions where we work together? How do you implement them in your classroom?

    Once you notice the difficulty and self-sacrifice required for this simple sounding task, you will have discovered what some people pejoratively call “politics”. This is the real, valuable work that leads to a happy, fulfilling life.

    Posted on

    2024-2025 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary

    All comparisons run from Jan of 2010 to Oct of 2024 unless noted.

    Since 2009-10, the Indiana General Fund (i.e., monies legislators control) has grown by 66.17%. The Consumer Price Index (inflation rate) has grown by 45.68%. The state has a lot more money ($2.8B) to spend than it did in 2009-10 relative to inflation. 

    Unfortunately, the K-12 Tuition Support Budget has grown by only 40.64%, well behind inflation. As of October of 2024, the current budget for public, charter, and voucher-receiving schools is $323.7M behind the 2009-10 budget when inflation is taken into account.

    Continue reading “2024-2025 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary”
    Posted on

    Cumulative Voucher Program costs since 2017-18

    Recently I went back and constructed a spreadsheet that added up each school district’s cost/share of the Voucher Program going back the 2017-18 school year when I started to track this. I added a cumulative cost/share column next to the name of each school district.

    The list is sorted by the four digit school id number. You see this number on school busses.

    I am protecting the sheet, but believe you can do a search and type in your school district’s name to find it quickly.

    The spreadsheet can be found here.

    Posted on

    2023-2024 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary

    While the overall Indiana General Fund Budget has grown faster than inflation, growth in Indiana’s budget for public school personnel has not. As of October of 2023, the current budget to pay the majority of the personnel in public, charter, and voucher-receiving schools is $232M behind the 2009-10 budget when inflation is taken into account.

    All comparisons run from Jan of 2010 to Oct of 2023 unless noted.

    The Consumer Price Index (inflation rate) has grown by 41.99%.

    The Indiana General Fund (i.e., monies legislators control) has grown by 62.46%, much better than inflation. The state has a lot more money to spend than it did in 2009-10 relative to inflation.

    The K-12 Tuition Support Budget has grown by only 38.37%, well behind inflation. The Tuition Support Budget funds nearly all personnel working in public, charter, and voucher-receiving schools.

    Continue reading “2023-2024 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary”
    Posted on

    2022-2023 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary

    While the overall Indiana General Fund Budget has grown faster than inflation, growth in Indiana’s budget for public school personnel has not. As of October of 2022, the current budget for the majority of the personnel in public, charter, and voucher-receiving schools is $590M behind the 2009-10 budget when inflation is taken into account. The current budget, at the time it passed, significantly made up the difference on a year to year basis; however, recent spikes in inflation have eaten those gains.

    Continue reading “2022-2023 Indiana Education and Voucher Funding Summary”