Guest Column

We have a lot on our plate this session, with high expectations and a laundry list of things to accomplish. We have been moving along rather smoothly on many different issues, but the one I want to focus on this week concerns education. This issue will take some time this session because of parties on both sides of the issue, feel very strongly.

During the session, we have already discussed ways to increase entrepreneurial programs in schools, address student tuition issues and make charter schools more available to Hoosier students.

Out of that list, charter schools are the main issue still stirring up a lot of discussion. Critics continue to say tax dollars shouldn’t be going to private schools—and I would agree, but that isn’t the case here. Charter schools are public schools, which are held to the same accountability measures as public schools.

Supporters agree that charter schools are an additional option for Hoosier families; more specifically, for those students who are not succeeding in their current classroom setting.

A study conducted by the University of Indianapolis proves that students attending public charter schools have greater academic growth than in their traditional public school counterparts. The study concludes that among the students that graduated from the mayor-sponsored charter high schools in 2008, 94 percent are currently enrolled in a 2-or 4-year college or university. Those statistics don’t lie.

I would like to address what I’ve heard about charter schools “comprise 29 spots on the list of the 50 lowest performing schools in the state.” This is completely false. The “29 schools” statistic came from comparing charter schools against district corporations, not school vs. school.

According to 2010 ISTEP results, when all public schools are compared to individual charter schools, only four charter schools appear in the bottom of the list.  But before you pass judgment on those four, know that each of those schools opened less than three years ago and has been serving students who previously had a 30 percent passing rate on the ISTEP test.

It’s no secret that most students who enter a charter school are at a significant disadvantage they must overcome. More than 70 percent of charter school students are members of an ethnic minority, but more importantly, on average, students entering a charter schools are 16 percent points behind their peers on ISTEP examinations.

Charter schools were created to help students, not blame teachers. Why this has become such a sore subject is beyond me. They were created to offer an additional option to parents; an option that has proven successful.

Nearly six out of seven parents (or more than 85 percent) reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their child’s public charter school.

Charter schools may not directly affect our community in Johnson County, but we have had success with two schools that are set up similarly—Central Nine and Clark Pleasant Academy. Both schools offer an alternative for students gearing toward graduation, learning a trade and/or continuing their education.  Neither school is easier or harder than traditional schools, just different.

Although both schools are not exactly charter schools, they are very similar—proving that, if you provide students in need with an additional option, they too can succeed.

I supported the charter school bill this week because I can’t disagree with facts—we are in need of more alternatives, such as charter schools, that would meet the need of all students around the state, in communities that want them. More than 22,000 students are currently attending Indiana charter schools, with more than 3,500 students on the waiting list.

The facts are clear—parents want them and I am prepared to do what I can to provide them with the option.

I encourage you to stay in the conversation and send any feedback my way at H58@in.gov or call my office at 1-800-382-9841. You can also stay up-to-date on the above legislation or any other bill at www.in.gov/legislative.

Budget and education reform will be two of the highest priorities this legislative session. As a state legislator, it’s my responsibility, not only to think about how to best benefit our great state, but also serve the needs of my local district.

As a result of listening to the concerns of local constituents and additional feedback from surveys, town hall meetings, etc, I filed several bills that I think could benefit not only our district, but also the state.

I have heard many concerns regarding alcohol displays in stores. I share the same apprehension because we have had too many occurrences where minors walk out of big box stores with liquor in hand. Cigarettes are behind the counter and out of the reach of minors, why should alcohol be treated differently?

House Bill (HB) 1175 would require stores, excluding liquor stores, to display liquor in a room or partitioned area separate from other retail items for sale on the premises. Minors would be prohibited from those areas without a parent or guardian who is at least 21 years of age.

On a similar note, I authored HB 1016 to allow a juvenile court judge to have the option of making a juvenile a ward of the Department of Correction. They could then require the minor to stay in a juvenile facility overnight, if the minor was caught with alcoholic beverages.

The Center for Disease and Control Prevention, reports that alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs.  We have to do something constructive to protect our youth against this easy access to alcohol.

In 2008, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 28% of youth aged 12 to 20 drink alcohol. My legislation is simply one small measure designed to bring those statistics down.

At the request of our newly-elected sheriff, Doug Cox, I also filed a bill to allow county jails and the Department of Correction to return unused prescription drugs. A majority of jails are given “packs” of prescriptions, but are not given the option to return any unused drugs. State prisons are allowed this option, but not county jails.

The bill would give county jails the opportunity to exchange prescription drugs that are no longer needed for ones that are. This legislation has already received a hearing in committee and will be scheduled for a floor debate this week.

As Chairman of Financial Institutions Committee, I have filed several bills that I think will help our Hoosier consumers.

HB 1182 establishes the “Consumer Protection Assistance Fund” (CPAF) to be administered by the attorney general. CPAF would provide financial assistance to individuals who are (1) awarded restitution by a court in connection with a violation of certain consumer protection statutes and (2) are willing to assist the attorney general in the investigation and prosecution of the case.

HB 1181 would amend the definition of “mortgage” in order to help with foreclosure prevention efforts. In addition, HB 1181 would require creditors to prove they have the most up-to-date contact information on the lender before filing foreclosure on a property.

HB 1174 came at the request of Mayor Fred Paris of Franklin, allowing local governments the option of hiring a broker to sell real estate directly rather than having to use a bid process.

You can keep up-to-date on these bills and other pieces of legislation by visiting www.in.gov/legislative. If you want a status report, you can search by the bill number or subject matter.

If you want to watch a committee hearing, you can click on “Watch the Indiana General Assembly Live.” You will see a list of committee rooms, you just have to click on the appropriate room and watch live. You can also watch live session footage by clicking “Watch video live from the House.”

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these pieces of legislation or any other legislative matters, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can call me at 1-800-382-9841 or email me at H58@in.gov. In addition, please visit my website at www.in.gov/h58 and take a moment to fill out my legislative survey.

I look forward to hearing your comments.



As we work our way through education reform this legislative session, the term, “charter schools”, is stirring up more debate every time it is mentioned.

A charter school is an additional education option for parents who still want to send their kids to public school. Charter schools provide parents, an alternative choice to help kids who may not be succeeding in their current setting.

Charter schools are set up similar to most public schools. Some cater to special needs or specific subjects, but all are held to the same accountability as traditional public schools.

The charter schools in Indiana have been quite successful.  The concept began in 2001, when we passed legislation to start the first charter school in Indiana. Since then, the state has 60 charter schools serving more than 22,000 students, not including the more than 3,500 students that are on a waiting list to attend.

In the past, most charter schools have been in major cities, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Gary.  We have received a lot of feedback from voters encouraging the legislature to make charter schools more accessible and available in other areas of the state. In fact, in the “Indiana K-12 & School Choice Survey,” we found that 66 percent of Hoosier voters favor charter schools, while only 16 percent opposed them.

House Bill 1002 addresses this outcry for more charter schools. The bill allows other communities to create charter schools. If a community wants to transform a public school into a charter school, the legislation would require 51 percent of the parents, 51 percent of the teachers, or a school board vote to do so. Currently, the law requires 60 percent of parents or teachers. If after five years of operation, the school wants to go back as a traditional public school, it would take the same regulations to change back.

In addition to many other aspects of the bill, it would require a consistent plan for transferring credit hours to and from charter schools. It also allows schools to lease or purchase an unused school building.

Critics of charter schools describe them as private schools, and therefore, we are not supporting public education. This is not true, as charter schools are indeed public schools that have to comply with the same standards.

This is just one of the many education reform concepts we are debating during this legislation session. I continue to meet with local teachers, principals, and superintendents in our community to hear their input and concerns.

If you have any questions concerning education reform or any legislative issues, please contact Rep. Burton’s office by phone at 1-800-382-9841 or by e-mail at h58@in.gov.

I recently read an interesting article in our local Daily Journal newspaper, concerning local commissioners taking the necessary steps to avoid tax increases.

The article discussed how the county commissioners decided to make some consequential budget cuts without any layoffs.  In short, the county will save $17,000 by limiting cell-phone reimbursements and also save on fuel costs and wear and tear for the county vehicles that will no longer be driven after hours.

In difficult economic times, I commend the commissioners for their actions. There is no question that when you take away resources from any organization or agency, it creates hardships. But like Hoosier families, when times are tough financially, you have to find ways to cut in order to save.

Tough decisions are never popular, but can be necessary. Johnson County should be proud of their local officials for taking that approach. And I don’t think the State of Indiana shouldn’t be treated any different.

My colleagues and I are already working to find ways to cut spending in order to avoid raising taxes on already struggling Hoosiers. And our reputation speaks for itself—we have cut spending by more than 20 percent in the last two to three years, and state government still manages to function.

Everything starts with the budget—and this session, the budget will be the main issue alongside job creation. We will fight for a fair and balanced budget, while also looking for ways to bring in more jobs. We have had more than 23,000 good-paying jobs commit to our state, while we have  avoided raising taxes and, instead, created a business-friendly environment for employers.

But before session gets too under way, next Saturday (January 8) I am hosting a series of town halls (log onto www.in.gov/h58 for more information) to gain input from my district. I am elected by the people and therefore, I am here to listen to the people. This is something I do at the start of each session and throughout session, and I hope that many will take advantage.

In addition, several area legislators and I will be visiting Clark Pleasant, Franklin and Greenwood schools over the next few weeks. We have already met with Center Grove schools. We are visiting to hear what teachers, principals and superintendents have to say about our current education system.

For me, it’s extremely important to meet face-to-face with our educators, when discussing education reform because they are the ones in the classroom teaching our students.

I can assure you that discussions surrounding the budget, job creation and education will continue over the next few months—with legislators working vigorously to find solutions.

We need to keep in mind that Indiana is doing well, compared to most states. I believe that with fiscally-conservative policies and continued efforts to improve education, Indiana will continue to lead us out of this economic turmoil.