INDIANAPOLIS – Eric Holcomb and Mike Pence had their chance to establish a Pre-K program for all children across the state.

Instead, they declined the $80 million grant – leaving many children behind and others waiting in line for a pilot program that serves just a fraction of Hoosier children. Holcomb even refused to commit to creating a universal Pre-K system by calling it a “pie in the sky” of an opportunity.

“The Pence-Holcomb Administration has proven that when it comes to investing in the future of our children, education, and the state’s well-being – they’d rather stick their political agenda that leaves us falling behind,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “Eric Holcomb supported Mike Pence’s decision to block an $80 million grant for statewide Pre-K and has since ignored a common sense idea for a universal program for all. With more than 82% of Hoosiers supporting a statewide Pre-K program, Eric Holcomb’s opposition is out of touch with voters in the state.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: HOW PENCE-HOLCOMB HAVE FLUBBED ON APPROACH TO STATEWIDE PRE-K

Holcomb Called Universal Pre-K a “Pie in the Sky”

Holcomb Said That “Schools Aren’t Ready” To Do Universal Pre-K In The Next Budget Cycle. According to an interview with the Indianapolis Star, the interviewer asked, “Do we need it in all 92 counties in the next budget cycle?” Holcomb said, “If schools… First and foremost, if the schools in Ohio County can handle it, or Switzerland County, or Marion County for that reason, I talk to enough educators on the trail [38:00] that say — we’re not ready for that right now. I tend to trust them. If they are in fact the ones telling me that we’d like to get there at some point, but we’re not ready yet; many schools are ready. We need to take an inventory of that, and then we need to assess what would it cost to go right down the middle of the road. [38:30] To do it all overnight is just pie in the sky, in my opinion; it’s not feasible; it’s not A) affordable and it’s not… Schools aren’t ready to do it.” [Indianapolis Star, Interview, 8/29/16]

Pence Makes Election Year Flip-Flop on Pre-K

Indianapolis Star: “In An About-Face, Pence Expresses Interest In Federal Pre-K Grant.” [Indianapolis Star, 6/2/16]

Indianapolis Star: “Two Year After Passing Up Millions Of Dollars In Federal Preschool Funding, Pence Said He Is Now Interested In The Money.” According to the Indianapolis Star, “Two years after passing up millions of dollars in federal preschool funding, Gov. Mike Pence says he is now interested in the money. In a letter Thursday to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Pence expressed interest in expanding the state’s $10-million-a-year preschool pilot program with the help of the federal grant program…”[Indianapolis Star, 6/2/16]

Overwhelming Demand for Pre-K

HEADLINE: “Hoosier Survey Shows Overwhelming Support For Pre-K Funding” [WISH-TV, 11/10/14]

82 Percent Of Hoosiers Said Pre-Kindergarten Should Be A Publicly-Funded Program Available To All Children In Indiana. “New findings in the WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey show that state funding for pre-Kindergarten is a popular idea… The Hoosier Survey found that more than 4 out of 5 Hoosiers think the state should pick up the bill.  82 percent say it should be available to all children in Indiana. Just 15 percent are opposed. ‘90 percent of Democrats favor this,’ said Ball State professor Joe Losco, ‘but also 70 percent of Republicans favor it.’” [WISH-TV, 11/10/14]

90 Percent Of Democrat Hoosiers Said Pre-Kindergarten Should Be A Publicly-Funded Program Available To All Children In Indiana. “New findings in the WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey show that state funding for pre-Kindergarten is a popular idea… The Hoosier Survey found that more than 4 out of 5 Hoosiers think the state should pick up the bill.  82 percent say it should be available to all children in Indiana. Just 15 percent are opposed. ‘90 percent of Democrats favor this,’ said Ball State professor Joe Losco, ‘but also 70 percent of Republicans favor it.’” [WISH-TV, 11/10/14]

Majority of Families Who Applied for Indiana’s Preschool Pilot Program Were Turned Away. “The majority of families who applied for Indiana’s new preschool pilot program for disadvantaged children were turned away due to limited funding. The program, which was signed into law in 2014 by Republican Gov. Mike Pence, set aside $10 million a year to send as many as 2,500 children from low-income families to preschool in five counties. But demand has outstripped the amount of money lawmakers made available for the program, which is offered in Marion, Lake, Allen, Jackson and Vanderburgh counties. As a result, only about 43 percent of those who applied were accepted.” [Associated Press, 11/30/15]

Only 43 Percent of Those Who Applied Were Accepted. “The majority of families who applied for Indiana’s new preschool pilot program for disadvantaged children were turned away due to limited funding. The program, which was signed into law in 2014 by Republican Gov. Mike Pence, set aside $10 million a year to send as many as 2,500 children from low-income families to preschool in five counties. But demand has outstripped the amount of money lawmakers made available for the program, which is offered in Marion, Lake, Allen, Jackson and Vanderburgh counties. As a result, only about 43 percent of those who applied were accepted.” [Associated Press, 11/30/15]

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INDIANAPOLIS – Mike Pence’s political agenda has caused Indiana’s education system to fall behind the rest of the nation. And Eric Holcomb? He wants to continue with the status quo.

“The Pence-Holcomb Administration has shown Hoosiers that when it comes to education, they’d rather stick to their own ideological political agenda ahead of an education one,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “From blocking the chance for statewide Pre-K to working to undermine Glenda Ritz and Hoosier teachers, Eric Holcomb would rather carry on with Mike Pence’s political agenda than actually work to strengthen our schools.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: ERIC HOLCOMB WILL CONTINUE WITH PENCE’S AGENDA ON EDUCATION

Holcomb Would Carry On The Policies Implemented By Pence on Education. According to the Herald Bulletin, “Holcomb indicated he wanted to carry on the policies implemented by Daniels and Pence in the areas of job creation and education. ‘Now that Gov. Pence has withdrawn from the ballot for governor, I am withdrawing from the ballot for lieutenant governor in order to seek the office of governor,’ Holcomb said in a press statement.” [The Herald Bulletin (Anderson, Indiana), 7/15/16]

2016: Indiana Finished 21^st in Overall Education. According to Education Week’s 2016 Quality Counts report, “This year, Indiana finishes 21st among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with an overall score of 74.9 out of 100 points and a grade of C.” [Education Week, 12/30/15] ——WOULD REMOVE THIS ONE.

2016: Indiana Ranked 29^th in “Chance for Success” in Education Week’s “Quality Counts” Report. [Education Week, 2016]

2016: Indiana Ranked 48^th in Kindergarten Enrollment Education Week’s “Quality Counts” Report. [Education Week, 2016]

2016: Indiana Ranked 43^rd in Preschool Enrollment Education Week’s “Quality Counts” Report. [Education Week, 2016]

2016: Indiana Ranked 27^th in High School Graduation in Education Week’s “Quality Counts” Report. [Education Week, 2016]

The Education Week Research Center Listed Indiana 43 Out Of 50 In Preschool Enrollment. [Indiana, Education Week Research Center, 2015]

The Education Week Research Center Listed Indiana 45 Out Of 50 In Kindergarten Enrollment. [Indiana, Education Week Research Center, 2015]

The Education Week Research Center Listed Indiana 41 Out Of 50 In Adult Educational Attainment. [Indiana, Education Week Research Center, 2015]

2015: Indiana Was Ranked 50^th On A List Of States For School Safety, According To A Wallet Hub Survey Of The 50 States And The District Of Columbia. [Wallet Hub, 2015]

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INDIANAPOLIS – Eric Holcomb and Mike Pence have showered millions to charter schools with very little accountability, and it’s harmed the overall education system.

More than half of Indiana’s charter schools either received a “D” or “F” rating, and state taxpayers had to bail out schools that defaulted on their loans – totaling close to $90 million. What’s worse, Eric Holcomb appears to have accepted contributions from a co-founder of a charter school that has consistently received “F” ratings in the last four years.

“The Pence-Holcomb Administration have thrown millions to charter school executives in exchange for their campaign support. However, these charter schools are held to zero accountability, and more than half are failing the state’s A-F rating system,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “Hoosier taxpayers are being forced to pay for the fiscal mistakes made by Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb’s political agenda on education. Our children and schools deserve better than this irresponsibility.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: PENCE-HOLCOMB SPENDS MILLIONS, REFUSE TO HOLD CHARTER SCHOOLS ACCOUNTABLE

State Forgave $90 Million in Loans to Charters

2013: The State Forgave And Paid Off More Than $90 Million In Charter School Loans. The Associated Press State & Local Wire reported, “The program was added to the state budget in the final days of this year’s legislative session and has drawn questions from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke Kenley, R- Noblesville, over the debt loads charter schools already carry. Two years ago, the state forgave and paid off more than $90 million in charter school loans.” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 10/17/15]

More Charters Fail Than Public Schools

Herald-Times Headline: “Early Advocate Of School Choice Finds Charters’ Performance Lacking.” [Herald- Times, 5/18/15]

The Failure Rate Of Charter Schools More Than Doubled Between 2010 And 2014. “Educating Indiana’s poorest students at a lower cost than traditional public schools was a selling point of charter schools when they first opened 13 years ago. This spring, charter schools are clamoring for more funding from the General Assembly while facing criticism they have not succeeded at the job they set out to do. A Star analysis found that the failure rate of charter schools more than doubled in the past five years — 53 percent received a D or an F rating from the state last year compared to 23 percent in 2010.” [Indy Star, 3/15/15]

2014: 53 Percent Of Charter Schools In Indiana Received A “D” Or An “F” Rating From The State. “Educating Indiana’s poorest students at a lower cost than traditional public schools was a selling point of charter schools when they first opened 13 years ago. This spring, charter schools are clamoring for more funding from the General Assembly while facing criticism they have not succeeded at the job they set out to do. A Star analysis found that the failure rate of charter schools more than doubled in the past five years — 53 percent received a D or an F rating from the state last year compared to 23 percent in 2010.” [Indy Star, 3/15/15]

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INDIANAPOLIS – The Pence-Holcomb Administration created a public relations crisis when it came to addressing the deeply unpopular ISTEP exam. Not only did Mike Pence put teachers in a bind when they shortened the testing period, but the administration was caught altering an “independent” investigation into the test itself.

“Mike Pence and Eric Holcomb have favored unrealistic accountability standards to state testing – forcing teachers to teach to a test as opposed to the students. But what’s worse, the administration was then caught tampering with an investigation intended to be independent from the state,” said John Zody, Chairman. “From day one, Statehouse Republicans’ only concern has been their political agenda – as they’ve still failed to act on creating a new testing system. They would rather force standards set by special interest groups than allow schools to teach to their kids. We will do better when John Gregg and Glenda Ritz are able to work together in the Statehouse to truly address the challenges facing our state’s education system.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: PENCE-HOLCOMB ADMINISTRATION CREATE PR CRISIS WITH ISTEP

Pence-Holcomb Administration Alter “Independent” Report on ISTEP

HEADLINE: APNewsBreak: Indiana official had say in independent report. [Associated Press, 2/16/16]

Report Billed as Independent Investigation into Standardized Student Exam Included Edits from State Administrator Hired by Pence. “A report summarizing what was billed as an independent investigation into Indiana’s new, unpopular standardized student exam includes edits and suggested changes by a state administrator hired by Gov. Mike Pence’s State Board of Education who altered language that reflected poorly on Republicans’ decision to substitute the exam for one based on national Common Core academic standards. A Microsoft Word file obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request contains multiple edits and drafts of the report, including the final version, which was ultimately submitted by consultants hired by the state Board of Education but not yet released to the public.” [Associated Press, 2/16/16]

State Board of Education Executive Director Snethen Shaped Content Through 92 Deletions, Revisions, and Comments. “The document shows State Board of Education executive director John Snethen helped shape the content through 92 deletions, revisions and comments, raising questions about how independent the investigation into the ISTEP program was.” [Associated Press, 2/16/16]

By Shortening ISTEP Exam, Mike Pence Puts Teachers in Bind

HEADLINE: “Teachers Feel Stuck As ISTEP Battle Wages On” [WTHR, 2/11/15]

Greensburg Daily News: “Governor Mike Pence’s Unprecedented Move To Try And Shorten The [ISTEP+] Exam Is Putting Some Educators In A Bind, Weeks Before They Are Set To Administer The Test.” “Pallets of ISTEP tests are arriving at Indiana schools, but this edition of the state’s premiere test may turn out to be dead weight. Governor Mike Pence’s unprecedented move to try and shorten the exam is putting some educators in a bind, weeks before they are set to administer the test. The ink is barely dry on 67 boxes of ISTEP exams delivered Monday to Brownsburg Community Schools. ‘There are a lot of unanswered questions that we shouldn’t be dealing with 11 days before testing is supposed to start,’ said Dr. Jim Snapp, Superintendent of Brownsburg Community Schools… ‘I was shocked by the Governor’s announcement. While I understand the concerns that he has, I’m also wondering about the direction that we are going to go,’ Snapp said. ‘While the test was long, we knew the test was going to start in 11 days and it was going to be long. After his announcement today, I have no idea, nor do any of the educators across the state, have an idea of where we are heading with this.’” [Greensburg Daily News, 2/10/15]

Superintendent Of Brownsburg Community Schools Dr. Jim Snapp: “After [Pence’s] Announcement Today, I Have No Idea, Nor Do Any Of The Educators Across The State, Have An Idea Of Where We Are Heading With This.” “Pallets of ISTEP tests are arriving at Indiana schools, but this edition of the state’s premiere test may turn out to be dead weight. Governor Mike Pence’s unprecedented move to try and shorten the exam is putting some educators in a bind, weeks before they are set to administer the test. The ink is barely dry on 67 boxes of ISTEP exams delivered Monday to Brownsburg Community Schools. ‘There are a lot of unanswered questions that we shouldn’t be dealing with 11 days before testing is supposed to start,’ said Dr. Jim Snapp, Superintendent of Brownsburg Community Schools… ‘I was shocked by the Governor’s announcement. While I understand the concerns that he has, I’m also wondering about the direction that we are going to go,’ Snapp said. ‘While the test was long, we knew the test was going to start in 11 days and it was going to be long. After his announcement today, I have no idea, nor do any of the educators across the state, have an idea of where we are heading with this.’” [Greensburg Daily News, 2/10/15]

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Indiana Public Media: “During the same [Holcomb] event, his Democrat challenger John Gregg received a standing ovation…”

INDIANAPOLIS – Another day, another time when Eric Holcomb’s ideas are just more of the same as Mike Pence. The Holcomb Campaign was once again compared to Mike Pence’s harmful record, but this time it was on education – on the eve of the first governor’s debate focused on…education.

Eric Holcomb’s policy proposal included his ongoing opposition to a statewide Pre-K system as well as the administration’s choice to shortchange struggling schools and use loose accountability practices to charter schools.

Mike Pence’s political agenda would only continue under Eric Holcomb, and that’s a direction Hoosiers do not want to go.

Indiana Public Media: “During the same event, his Democrat challenger John Gregg received a standing ovation and claimed Holcomb would support divisive education policies.”

WISH-TV: “It’s not very detailed. In fact, it fills only two pages if you use large print.”

WIBC: “…The proposals include no new initiatives beyond Holcomb’s previously announced support for expanding Indiana’s five-county pilot program for state-funded preschool for low-income pupils…”

IndyStar: “Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, the Republican candidate for governor, laid out an education plan Monday that would continue many of Gov. Mike Pence’s initiatives and expand others.” […]

“Holcomb did not provide specifics about the size and costs of the proposals, saying he would work with state lawmakers as they hash out a two-year budget during the 2017 legislative session that begins in January.

As with an economic plan Holcomb announced last week, his education agenda would carry over many of the priorities espoused by Pence, who left the governor’s race to become Republican Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee.”

NWI Times: “Holcomb education plan continues GOP policies of last 12 years”

“Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb finally unveiled his plans for Indiana schools Monday, promising to stay the course with the past 12 years of Republican education policies if Hoosiers elect him Nov. 8 to succeed Gov. Mike Pence.” […]

“He did not explain specifically how he plans to do that, or how he’ll convince the General Assembly to support him, but said, ‘We need to get about doing something about it.’

He also offered few details about pre-kindergarten education other than urging “responsible” expansion of the state’s five-county preschool pilot program to children with the greatest financial need, without detailing where or at what cost.”

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