Indy Standard

The Indiana House of Representatives has approved legislation introduced by State Representative Bob Behning, aimed at providing more flexibility to K-12 schools in the state. The proposed House Bill 1002 seeks to streamline education processes by eliminating outdated and redundant regulations from Indiana's education statutes.

Behning emphasized that the bill intends to empower local schools with greater control over their educational decisions. "This is really an opportunity to streamline our K-12 education processes and give schools more flexibility," Behning stated. He added, "Our teachers and school administrators ultimately know what's best for their students and staff and should be able to take more innovative approaches to education without government getting in their way."

Key changes proposed in the bill include removing provisions that are already within schools' capabilities without state approval, eliminating unused funding programs, repealing specific mandates from the COVID-19 pandemic era, and reducing duplicate code. These measures aim for a nearly 10% reduction in the state's education regulations. Additionally, Behning's proposal would allow local school boards to decide on teacher training requirements not mandated federally.

"I consider this to be the first step in a years-long process to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in state education so schools can focus more on teaching future generations of Hoosiers rather than spending that time on reporting requirements," said Behning. He also expressed openness to further input from stakeholders on simplifying regulations.

Support for the bill was voiced by representatives from various educational associations including the Indiana School Boards Association, Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and Indiana Association of School Principals.

The bill will now proceed to the Senate for further consideration. Interested parties can follow sessions and committees live or view legislation details at iga.in.gov.