Voucher Program Redistributes Nearly $4.2 Million in Savings to Indiana Schools in Year One; Officials Launch New Campaign to Educate Parents on School Choice Options

INDIANAPOLIS, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Indiana's voucher program has been applauded for bringing school options to Hoosier families. Now, the program is being recognized for redistributing savings across the state too. According to data just released by the Indiana Department of Education, the first year of the voucher program will result in nearly $4.2 million in redistributed savings statewide.

In total, 292 public school corporations and 63 charter schools will benefit from redistributed savings generated by the voucher program. The Department of Education has asked the State Budget Agency to make the special choice distribution on May 18, 2012.

"We were thrilled to have nearly 4,000 low- and middle-income Hoosier students benefiting from vouchers in year one," said Lindsey Brown, Executive Director of School Choice Indiana. "It's exciting to be able to provide quality opportunities for kids, while saving the state millions of dollars that are now being distributed to Indiana schools. "

Each school corporation's distribution is determined based on its percentage share of state tuition support and a five-step calculation formula.  A complete list of distributions for all public school corporations and charter schools is available at http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/finance/choice-savings-distribution-march-2012.pdf. Some of the largest choice distribution recipients include:

• Indianapolis Public Schools – $169,293.16
• Fort Wayne Community Schools – $129,331.93
• Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation – $91,354.73
• South Bend Community School Corporation – $89,272.41
• MSD Wayne Township – $68,261.54

"The fact that Indiana's Choice Scholarship Program is generating redistributed savings for the state is consistent with what we are seeing across the country," said Robert Enlow, President and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. "This is good news because the redistributed savings recognized through this program will raise per-pupil allocations for the schools and allow them to have greater financial resources for educating students."

In addition to the savings redistribution, the program application window is now open for 2012-2013. Parent information sessions are already being held by School Choice Indiana in communities across the state, and the list of upcoming meetings is available on School Choice Indiana's Facebook page. To get more information about the voucher program and other school choice options, families can also visit the MyChoiceINed.com website.

SOURCE School Choice Indiana