If this is really true, good for them:
If they take over the Indiana House, Republicans will launch a major campaign for competitive-oriented education reform in next year's General Assembly.
Look for a big push for grants to low-income families so they can have school choice, and a big boost for charter schools in Indianapolis.
[. . .]
Mitch Daniels could actually get major reforms adopted. He doesn't want to hear excuses for failing schools. Nor does his close Republican ally, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett. They are pushing for merit pay for teachers but want even bolder changes.
House Republican Minority Leader Brian Bosma is calling for more school options for low-income parents and may get his way if he leads fellow Republicans to a majority in the House of Representatives.
To boost competition among schools for low-income families, Bosma suggests that students in failing schools be given the option to take their tax dollars to any school. "I want to inject competition into the school system," Bosma said.
Charter schools are just a baby step toward real choice. A true voucher system -- with dollars following the students, to whichever public or private schools their parents choose to send them -- is the bold change that could really shake up public education enough to improve things. But it's also the bold change the education establishment will resist with everything it has -- just consider the opposition charter schools have faced. Such a drastic step might not make it through the General Assembly -- not yet, at least -- but I'd still like to hear the debates.
