Alert! Hearing on “Freedom in Testing” bill tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Wed. February 11th, is the hearing on Senator Schneider’s “Freedom in Testing” bill, SB470. Please come and testify or show your support by attending the hearing, which commences at 1:30pm in the Senate Chamber. It is the second to last bill that will be heard, so you don’t need to be there until 2:30pm, if time is a concern. We need to send a message with a BIG turnout at the hearing!
This bill is one of the most crucial education bills this session, because it opens the door to liberating Indiana schools from the Common Core-aligned ties that bind it. Allowing private schools that accept vouchers to choose from a variety of nationally norm-referenced assessments, rather than forcing them to administer a single state-selected test, would go a long way to restoring local control. More importantly, it would pave the way for liberating public and charter schools as well.
The firestorm that is occurring over the outrageously long New ISTEP, which is almost twelve hours long and three times longer than our old ISTEP, demonstrates the need to cut the stings that bind Indiana’s voucher program more than ever! Call your legislators ASAP and tell them to support SB470, which puts the word “choice” back into the meaning of “school choice” in Indiana! Let them know that without it, IN vouchers are reduced to little more than a lasso with which the government will corral all schools into it’s one size-fits all system. This is the moment of truth for Indiana vouchers!
State Senate Switchboard – (317)232-9400
State Reps. Switchboard – (317)232-9600
Senate Education Committee Members:
Dennis Kruse, Chairman – Senator.Kruse@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Gloria Schroeder
317-233-0930
Carlin Yoder, Vice Chair – Senator.Yoder@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Dalton Thieneman
Phone: 317-232-9984
Amanda Banks – Senator.Banks@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Judith Essex
Phone: 317-232-9808
Eric Bassler – Senator.Bassler@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Kevin Duffy
317-234-9443
Jean Leising – Senator.Leising@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Chris Johnson
Phone: 317-234-9054
Pete Miller – Sen.PeteMiller@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Atlantis Richter
Phone: 317-232-9414
Jeff Raatz – Senator.Raatz@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant
Mike Brown
Phone: 317-232-9488
Scott Schneider – Senator.Schneider@iga.in.gov
Legislative Assistant:
Judith Essex
Phone: 317-232-9808
Sen. Rogers – Senator Rogers – Senator.Rogers@iga.in.gov
Senator Mrvan – Senator.Mrvan@iga.in.gov
Senator Stoops – Senator.Stoops@iga.in.gov
