I was honored to address an audience of Ivy Tech Community College students and administrators at the Statehouse this week. I have long supported Ivy Tech; in fact, I was instrumental in their accreditation as a public postsecondary institution.
Ivy Tech reaches out to individuals from a vast array of backgrounds, ages and walks of life, offering professional, technical, transfer and lifelong education to fulfill its mission of changing lives and making Indiana great. In my message, I addressed several key pieces of education legislation.
The House remains committed to the original intent of House Bill (HB) 1004 to ensure that more low-income students have access to high quality preschool programs in Indiana. Sixty percent of Hoosier children do not attend preschool, despite its positive effects on growth and development.
We have also made it a priority to focus on science, technology, education, mathematics (STEM) industries and career and technical education (CTE), so Hoosiers have the skills to fill current and future high wage, high demand jobs. HB 1213 establishes a subcommittee to create a CTE diploma that will match education requirements with the specialized skillsets sought by local employers.
Senate Bill (SB) 330 offers academic loan repayment for STEM teachers, which should help to fix Indiana’s current problem of under-skilled labor personnel by equipping a robust, better trained workforce to usher in the next stage of commercial and industrial distinction in Indiana.
It is important that we have strong educational programs in place in order to equip our workforce to succeed in today’s globally dynamic marketplace. I am grateful for the work Ivy Tech is doing in our community and I will continue to support their efforts.
Sincerely,
