In a groundbreaking development, Indiana’s school voucher program experienced an impressive 20% increase in enrollment during the 2022-23 academic year, marking the largest growth in nearly a decade.
SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM IN INDIANA WITNESSES REMARKABLE SURGE
The analysis of the school voucher program revealed that a staggering 53,262 Hoosier students benefited from state-funded private school tuition, compared to the 44,376 students who availed themselves of the school voucher program the previous year. As a result of this remarkable growth, state expenditure on the program rose by 29%, reaching $311.8 million for the 2022-23 school year. Consequently, participation on the school voucher program and spending are projected to surge even further, potentially accommodating approximately 95,000 students by 2025, at a cost of $1.1 billion to taxpayers over the next two years.
INDIANA SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM ATTRACTS HIGHER-INCOME FAMILIES
Despite its success, the Indiana school voucher program is undergoing a significant shift in its demographic makeup. In the 2022-23 school year, the proportion of the voucher households with an income below $50,000 declined to 28.1%, compared to 37.4% in the previous year. Surprisingly, a majority of the school voucher program recipients now hail from households with incomes exceeding $100,000 rather than under $50,000. Robert Enlow, president and CEO of EdChoice, an Indianapolis-based group supporting the school voucher program, praised the growth of the school voucher program and its widening appeal across income levels. With a record 343 private schools participating in the program and increased enrollment from suburban, rural, and town communities, the school voucher initiative in Indiana continues to shape the educational landscape, although it remains a fraction of the overall student population, with the majority of students still attending traditional public schools.
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