House to vote on Muncie schools takeover
MUNCIE, Ind. — A Republican-proposed state takeover of financially shaky Muncie Community Schools is scheduled to be debated on the floor of the Indiana House on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, another powerful legislator is expressing support for possible state control of the school district of about 5,690 students, while a Democratic senator is calling on the state to take steps to prevent more schools from falling into "financial crisis."
On Monday, Rep. Tim Brown, R-Indianapolis, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, added an amendment to Senate Bill 567 that would place MCS finances and academics under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager.
On Tuesday, Sen Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told The Star Press: “I agree with Rep. Brown putting Muncie in the bill at this time, so we can discuss the possible need for action to get Muncie schools back on track financially in conference committee.”
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Kenley is a co-author of SB 567, a bill that originally placed only the Gary Community School Corp. under control of a state-appointed emergency manager.
On Wednesday, state Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, will argue on the floor of the House for her amendment to remove Muncie from the bill placing Gary under state control.
"The Gary Community School Corporation has come to the state for assistance, and Muncie has not requested assistance," Pryor said in an interview on Tuesday. "I think we need to give Muncie an opportunity to get their system financially stable. The superintendent hasn't been there all that long and I don't think we've really given them enough time … "
Rep. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, said SB 567 will be brought up for second reading in the House on Wednesday, when amendments can be offered on the floor. The bill will be called up for third reading on Thursday, when legislators have an opportunity to debate it on its merits before the final vote is taken.
Errington hopes Muncie is amended out of the bill on Wednesday. "I think we have a good chance," she said, noting that Ways and Means Chairman Brown's amendment to add Muncie "just came out of the blue" in recent days. "I think other legislators who have schools in their district will be asking themselves, 'Would I want this to happen to me and my school?' " Errington said.
The Star Press asked Brown on Tuesday what he would say to Muncie citizens who might feel that a state takeover of K-12 education would be damaging to the city's reputation and embarrassing.
"I mean, this has been over a decade of spending more than they're taking in," Brown said. "I don't know, at what point in time do you say you are embarrassed? Year 11? Year 15? I would have been embarrassed in about year two. I presume this will go to conference committee because there are still issues to be worked out in the last three weeks of the session."
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MCS Superintendent Steve Baule, school board President Debbie Feick, Errington, state Rep. Melanie Wright, D-Yorktown, and Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, urged Brown to give the school district a chance to "right the ship" on its own.
Examples of the authority that would be given to the state-appointed emergency manager of the Muncie and Gary school districts: hiring a chief financial officer and a chief academic officer; adopting an annual budget that earmarks a significant part to eliminating school financial obligations; setting, suspending and reducing salaries of school employees; hiring and firing; implementing labor force reductions; outsourcing services performed by employees; renegotiating labor contracts; making loans and contracts; selling assets, and closing schools.
Errington noted that Brown's "Muncie amendment" passed the Ways and Means Committee on Monday, which was the last day of this legislative session for House committees to report. Wednesday is the last day for House bills to be heard on second reading this session and Thursday is the last day for House bills to be heard on third reading. Conference committees are scheduled the week of Good Friday and the week after Easter. Adjournment is scheduled after Friday, April 21.
Because of differences between the House and Senate versions of SB 567, a conference committee is likely to be appointed to work out a version acceptable to both houses. The conference committee will be two senators and two representatives.
Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville, also a co-author of SB 567, told The Star Press on Wednesday that the financial situation at Muncie schools "is not quite of the caliber of Gary schools." He thinks Muncie should be amended out of the bill. He also objects to language added by Brown to place Gary schools under state control both financially and academically. The bill that left the Senate only gave the state financial control. "The state has not proven to be any more effective in turning around schools academically," he said.
"Of most pressing importance, once we have addressed the issues for both Gary and Muncie, it's imperative that the state study and address the financial crisis that many of our schools are facing across the entire state and what safeguards we can put in place … instead of letting them reach this critical point of financial crisis," Melton said. "It's not just mismanagement. There are state policies we need to look at in terms of what fiscal impact they have." He cited property tax caps and charter schools as examples. "Mismanagement is not the only factor that we have to take into account in these types of situations."
Contact Seth Slabaugh at (765) 213-5834.