INDIANAPOLIS — Public educators are lining up against a plan to expand Indiana's school voucher program.
Some lawmakers want to boost spending on the program by 25 percent and make it available to higher income-earning families.
"I have always believed that parents know what's best for their kids. Government shouldn't say this one size fits all model is the only model that's available," said Rep. Robert Behning, the Republican from Indianapolis who authored the House proposal.
Currently, a family of four earning about $96,000 in annual income is eligible for Indiana's voucher program.
The house proposal would raise the income threshold to about $145,000.
A Senate version proposed a more modest increase... to about $110,000.
The two-year state spending plan presented Thursday by the Senate would increase overall school funding by 1.2 percent the first year and about 3% the second year.
The revised Senate voucher plan is expected to cost about one-eighth of the total K-12 funding increase.
Critics argue both proposals are too much.
"That is a huge increase, and these are not increases that are suggested to help low-income families," said Jennifer Brinker, Assistant Principal at Greenwood Middle School. "These are helping the upper-middle-class families who many argue could afford that private school tuition on their own."
Brinker said it's taking away too much money from public schools that teach 90 percent of Indiana's kids.
"Especially when you consider that these private schools don't have to play by the same rules that public education does," she said.
But Behning insists the money should follow the student.
Lawmakers have until the end of the month to pass the state budget.