Candidates for Ind. Governor lay out education plans
INDIANA (WFIE) - Indiana’s candidates for governor have shared education plans.
They are as follows:
Mike Braun:
1. Universal School Choice for Every Hoosier Family
Expand school choice programs, reform the Choice Scholarship Program, and double the Education Scholarship Account Program for families with special needs.
2. Boost Teacher Pay and Improve Benefits
Raise base salaries for teachers in high-need areas, guarantee professional benefits like new parent leave, and offer improved health insurance options.
3. Build a Strong Teacher Pipeline
Invest in programs to transition professionals into teaching, cut red tape for out-of-state teachers, and address teacher shortages with targeted recruitment.
4. Prioritize School Safety
Establish the Indiana Office of School Safety, increase funding for security grants, and implement cyber safety training for students.
5. Improve Quality and Raise Academic Standards
Use evidence-based materials for reading and math, focus dollars on the classroom and student achievement, maintain accountability with clear metrics, and limit cell phone use in schools.
6. Prepare Students for Success Beyond High School
Invest in career scholarship programs, support extracurricular exploration, and reward schools for graduating students prepared to excel in their career, college, or the military.
7. Put Kids First by Protecting Parental Rights
Empower parents with access to education information, support direct notification if a child requests a name or pronoun change inconsistent with their biological sex, and protect girls’ sports from biological male competitors.
Jennifer McCormick:
- Strong Beginnings: As career educators, Jennifer McCormick and Terry Goodin recognize the education continuum and will prioritize Indiana’s investment in all levels of the educational journey. The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Education Plan will expand quality and affordable childcare to address Indiana’s childcare deserts. In addition, the plan will continue expanding access to PreK education until Indiana has universal PreK.
- Hold ALL Schools Accountable: The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Education Plan will protect the rights of students and parents by establishing a streamlined and transparent accountability platform to hold all schools to the same academic and fiscal standards.
- Let Teachers Teach and Pay Them Like Professionals: As former teachers, Jennifer McCormick and Terry Goodin will champion our K-12 and post-high school instructors by implementing policies to recruit and retain the best and brightest educators. We will fight for a minimum base salary of $60,000 for Indiana teachers and adjust veteran teacher salaries to reflect their non-educator peers. We will uphold teacher rights by protecting the freedom of teacher unions to bargain for wages and benefits. In addition, mandates placed on educators and school boards will be reviewed and, where unnecessary or burdensome, eliminated.
- Rigorous and Comprehensive Curriculum: The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Education Plan will call for autonomy at the local level to design a curriculum that prepares students for the future they choose. Academic freedom includes keeping politicians from deciding what books children can read. We will ensure our K-12 system plays an advanced role in career counseling by identifying and funding qualified personnel and the resources necessary to make our programs robust and effective across the state.
- Post-High School Education Attainment: The McCormick-Goodin Commonsense Education Plan will celebrate, champion, protect, and better fund our higher education institutions and direct workforce development training programs. The plan will protect university tenure and respect the distinction of the skilled trades’ apprenticeships and certifications. The McCormick-Goodin plan will re-establish a statewide emphasis on attaining post-high school education.
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