Private school vouchers cost Indiana $53 million
Indiana's private school voucher program cost $53 million during the 2015-16 school year, up from $40 million in the previous year, according to a new report released Monday by the Indiana Department of Education.
Nearly 33,000 students received a voucher during the most recent school year, making it one of the nation's largest programs. Costs to operate the program have jumped over the years as lawmakers have broadened eligibility requirements for a student to qualify for a voucher.
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, a staunch critic of vouchers, has routinely fought lawmakers' efforts to expand the program. Ritz, a Democrat who is running for re-election, did not comment Monday on the report's findings.
During the program's first years, the state saw around $4 million to $5 million in annual savings. But with increasing enrollment, the program began running a deficit in the 2013-14 school year when the calculation showed a nearly $16 million cost.
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