Voucher program enrollment surges, raising concerns among public school educators

Andy Knight, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read
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Mar. 27—ANDERSON — Record numbers of students across Indiana have enrolled in the state's near-universal voucher program this year, a trend which is causing local private school populations to surge while raising concerns among public school officials who say subsidizing voucher access siphons needed funding away from districts seeking to attract and retain teachers in a difficult hiring environment.

According to the Indiana Department of Education, 69,271 Choice Scholarship applications were approved for the 2023-24 school year, a 32% increase from the previous year and the largest jump in nearly a decade.

A second application period, which was set to close in late January, is likely to add to those numbers.

Private schools in Madison County are seeing their enrollment numbers surge.

"We actually did have to add some staff this year to accommodate the influx of students," said Kevin Plew, lead administrator at Indiana Christian Academy. "I would anticipate that being a potential (decision) for this next year as well."

Plew said enrollment at ICA increased by about 45 students this year compared to last year, a 16% jump. He attributed the numbers, in part, to heightened awareness of the availability of vouchers, which pay a portion of the tuition for students to attend private schools.

"We have students from all over," Plew said. "Some of them were home-schooled, some were in public schools, others were (in) Christian schools. I think the biggest impact is that kindergarten is now included in that (number), and that's probably where we saw our most growth."

Public school administrators have in the past asked state lawmakers to remove language from legislation that supports expanding voucher programs. Those requests have largely gone unanswered. Other leaders are voicing concerns about transparency and accountability.

"Since they receive state funding, I feel that these institutions should be given the same level of oversight as public schools do," said Joe Cronk, superintendent at Anderson Community Schools. "This will provide families a better understanding of these institutions when they are determining what the best educational option is for their students."

School choice advocates counter that the vouchers provide opportunities to families who otherwise wouldn't be able to chart educational paths of their choosing for their children.

"The end result is, we want to benefit the children," Plew said. "It's about giving them the opportunity and the parent the opportunity to place a child in a situation that best benefits them."

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