The House Ways and Means Committee in Indiana is considering a budget bill that includes $19 billion for K-12 tuition support and removes income limits for the Choice Scholarship Program.

That program provides state funding to qualifying students that is used to offset tuition costs at participating Choice schools. Students qualify based on household income. This proposal puts that $19 billion into effect over a period of two years.

Several parents urged the importance of universal school choice when testifying to the Ways and Means Committee this week.

”Accessing choice scholarship for the first time made me realize that every family should have access to the program,” Jason Borum of Brownsburg said.

James Hunt, who lives in Middletown, said his kids were kicked off the voucher program when his income increased.

”Parents should have the ability to choose what is best for their children,” Hunt said.

Education leaders are concerned about this proposal putting strain on the state’s budget.

““The elimination of the income eligibility for the choice scholarship program would be an increase in state expenditures of $88.6 million in FY ’26, and $94.6 million [in] FY ’27,” said Dennis Costerison. He spoke to the committee on behalf of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents.

Democratic House Minority Leader Phil Giaquinta said he will continue to advocate for universal Pre-K and more dollars for the 90% of Hoosier kids who go to public schools.

“I’ll be disappointed if we continue down the road of privatizing education in the state to the tune of $700-800 million,” GiaQuinta said.

The plan is to have the budget bill passed out of committee by the end of next week.