The grandest of larcenies: HB 1136 would seize public property for charter schools

House Bill 1136, authored by Rep. Jake Teshka, proposes dissolving public school districts where over 50% of students attend non-district schools, such as charters or private voucher schools. Under the bill, these districts’ schools would transition into charter schools, transferring ownership of school properties to charter organizations without repayment, effectively seizing locally funded public assets as Michael Shaffer, director of the master’s and doctoral programs in administration and supervision in education at Ball State University writes in the Journal Gazette.

Critics argue the bill undermines local control, transparency, and accountability in education. Key concerns include:

• Loss of local governance over school finances and property.
• Charter school boards could lack ties to the local community.
• Reduced public access to financial records and diminished protections for faculty and staff.
• Risk of exclusion for at-risk students, such as those with special needs or low test scores.
• Potential elimination of transportation services and locally developed curricula.

Opponents also highlight the financial and ethical implications of giving away taxpayer-funded school facilities to charter organizations, calling it “grand larceny” against communities that have invested heavily in their public schools.

HB 1136 is currently under committee review, with its fate dependent on legislative approval. Advocates warn that its passage would mark a significant step toward the privatization of Indiana’s public education system.