INDIANAPOLIS – Eric Holcomb and Mike Pence have showered millions to charter schools with very little accountability, and it’s harmed the overall education system.
More than half of Indiana’s charter schools either received a “D” or “F” rating, and state taxpayers had to bail out schools that defaulted on their loans – totaling close to $90 million. What’s worse, Eric Holcomb appears to have accepted contributions from a co-founder of a charter school that has consistently received “F” ratings in the last four years.
“The Pence-Holcomb Administration have thrown millions to charter school executives in exchange for their campaign support. However, these charter schools are held to zero accountability, and more than half are failing the state’s A-F rating system,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “Hoosier taxpayers are being forced to pay for the fiscal mistakes made by Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb’s political agenda on education. Our children and schools deserve better than this irresponsibility.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: PENCE-HOLCOMB SPENDS MILLIONS, REFUSE TO HOLD CHARTER SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE
State Forgave $90 Million in Loans to Charters
2013: The State Forgave And Paid Off More Than $90 Million In Charter School Loans. The Associated Press State & Local Wire reported, “The program was added to the state budget in the final days of this year’s legislative session and has drawn questions from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke Kenley, R- Noblesville, over the debt loads charter schools already carry. Two years ago, the state forgave and paid off more than $90 million in charter school loans.” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 10/17/15]
More Charters Fail Than Public Schools
Herald-Times Headline: “Early Advocate Of School Choice Finds Charters’ Performance Lacking.” [Herald- Times, 5/18/15]
The Failure Rate Of Charter Schools More Than Doubled Between 2010 And 2014. “Educating Indiana’s poorest students at a lower cost than traditional public schools was a selling point of charter schools when they first opened 13 years ago. This spring, charter schools are clamoring for more funding from the General Assembly while facing criticism they have not succeeded at the job they set out to do. A Star analysis found that the failure rate of charter schools more than doubled in the past five years — 53 percent received a D or an F rating from the state last year compared to 23 percent in 2010.” [Indy Star, 3/15/15]
2014: 53 Percent Of Charter Schools In Indiana Received A “D” Or An “F” Rating From The State. “Educating Indiana’s poorest students at a lower cost than traditional public schools was a selling point of charter schools when they first opened 13 years ago. This spring, charter schools are clamoring for more funding from the General Assembly while facing criticism they have not succeeded at the job they set out to do. A Star analysis found that the failure rate of charter schools more than doubled in the past five years — 53 percent received a D or an F rating from the state last year compared to 23 percent in 2010.” [Indy Star, 3/15/15]
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