INDIANAPOLIS (AP): Republican Gov. Mike Pence is claiming success from this year's Indiana legislative session, pointing to a funding boost for schools and winning approval of a new regional development program.
Pence said Thursday that the new state budget approved late Wednesday will helps schools across the state with a 2.3 percent funding increase. Pence says parents will have more education choices for their children with measures providing more money to charter schools and lifting the per-student limit on the value of a private school voucher.
Democrats say the agenda pushed by the Republican-dominated Legislature did little to help working-class people.
Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane says school funding changes directing more money to growing suburban districts will leave poor districts poorer.