We need your help!

To ensure school choice remains an option for our families and community, our state representatives and senators need to hear from you!

Click here to get contact information for our state senators and representatives. Here are a few items that may help keep your legislators, friends and neighbors better informed about the issue:

Historical savings for the state:  Nearly 100,000 other students attend a non-public school and do NOT receive a scholarship from the state.  This savings is historical but should not be discounted.  It equates to about $650,000 Million per year for the state, and School Choice helps preserve and protect this historical savings by ensuring there are robust educational choices in our state available for all income levels.

Public Schools improve when School Choice is enacted:  Parents are the primary educators. When parents have more choice in finding the school that best fits their child’s needs, they also have more influence.  This equates to more competition, and improved performance by public schools. While competition may make those of us in education uncomfortable, it is a powerful tool in ensuring we are using resources to their maximum potential.  Studies from the Friedman foundation also confirm this.

School Choice is good for families and good for students:  It should seem clear that having a choice is better than not having one.  Families and students that are forced to attend schools that are either not meeting their educational needs or are not aligned with their family’s values is an injustice. Families that are able to choose their child’s school are more engaged and more participatory in the educational process.

Deregulation of schools is NOT possible without School Choice: Nearly every administrator, teacher or parent you talk to these days agrees that there is too much time spent on testing and administration, robbing valuable time from the classroom.  However, when there is only a single provider of any service there is a much higher likelihood of waste, inefficiency and poor quality.  When families have a choice, they become the regulators - and this method of regulation is far more effective and far less costly to administer.

School Choice is good for the economy: When employers locate to a community they look closely at the educational opportunities within a community.  Strong public and private school options are essential to support a diverse and thriving community.  

School Choice Schools are more accountable than Public Schools: In addition to accreditation requirements that private schools share with public schools, School Choice schools cannot get two failing grades in a row before all funding is suspended.  Public schools are allowed six failing grades before state intervention is mandated.

It’s your Choice - Make Yourself Heard

Make yourself heard to our members of Congress! Our families need your help! Many of the opposition’s lobbying groups have been building their legislative and grassroots efforts over the past two years and have become very organized in an effort to end School Choice.  We do not believe that by any measure ending School Choice can be argued to be good for families or good for children, and it would be devastating to our communities by limiting choice and educational diversity.

Recently the Journal and Courier and the Indianapolis Star featured an article citing claims that the School Choice program is costing too much money.  However, the article took a very narrow and simplistic view of this issue.  

First, I would like to point out that LCSS has always provided financial assistance to many of our families.  School Choice has not changed this.  However, with the increasing cost of education, a challenging economy, and personal hardships, LCSS tuition assistance was not always enough for some families.  Since School Choice legislation first passed in 2011, we have seen a significant response by our Catholic community. With last year’s expansion of the program, current students whose families meet the Choice Scholarship requirements can also participate in the program, in addition to students transferring from public institutions. The continuation of the Choice Scholarship program is vital to the success of our community and especially to the families who are now able to ensure that their children receive a Catholic education.  

It is moving to witness the gratitude of families who are now able to ensure that their children can attend our Catholic schools - knowing that 100% of our students are graduating from Central Catholic and over 95% continue on to college. Did you know 77% of the Class of 2014 received Indiana’s highest and most challenging diploma, the Academic Honors diploma?  The education we are providing is a great asset and service to our community. After all, the children attending our schools are citizens of the State of Indiana, and our families also support our public education system.  Our students success and service to their community also serve the public’s interest.

In speaking with our legislators on this issue they have said they need to hear from you.  They are inundated with representatives from organized efforts opposing school choice, and really need to hear from you. Your communication can be in a combination of forms:  call them; write them; email them.  If you are a choice parent I strongly encourage you to share your personal story.  It DOES MATTER.  Click here for contact information for our state senators and representatives. Make sure you let your state representative and senator know that you live in their district.

It is our choice and we need to make ourselves heard!