Amanda’s Story
Amanda, Indianapolis, IN
I was born and raised in Indianapolis and I regret to say that I dropped out of the public high school that I attended. Throughout my teenage years, my parents longed to give me the opportunity to go to a private school in our area of town, but that dream was never realized because the tuition rates were simply too high.
Today, I’m the mother of four children and I share my parent’s dream of sending my own kids to a private school. I think the smaller setting and teachers’ personalized approach that it offers create a great learning environment for my children. Now, thanks to the new voucher program, I’m thrilled to say that all of my kids are enrolled in the Lutheran schools that my parents wanted me to attend.
My children range in age from five to 16 and each of them are benefitting from the new voucher program. My five-year-old daughter has Sensory Processing Disorder and when she was diagnosed, I had to stay home and care for her. As a stay-at-home mom with a special needs child, I didn’t think that private schools would be an option for us financially, but now they are.
The voucher program has opened doors for us that we could not open ourselves and our experience at Calvary Lutheran School and Lutheran High School has been great. My kids like all of the opportunities that are available to them. I like all of that too and I also appreciate how easy it was to make the switch from their previous schools.
The change has made a big difference already and I especially see that in my teenagers. My 14-year-old daughter is now passionate and active in class and she is making more of an effort to participate and do her homework. My 16-year-old daughter is getting her grades back up and she is excited to get up and go to school. She appreciates her new opportunities and she has opened up more and shown greater confidence. I just love where they are at.
The changes that I’ve already seen in my kids make me hopeful and excited about the future. I know that we made the right decision to switch schools and I’m sure that my kids will all graduate and have high confidence and self esteem.
I am so thankful that I got the choice that my parents never had. My kids are now in the school of my choice and that’s the way it should be. Parents should decide what is best for their kids and the new voucher program gave me the right to do just that.
Principal Brian Hudson’s Story
Brian Hudson
Principal, Covenant Christian High School
The new Indiana School Scholarship program has ushered in positive changes across our entire school and everyone is benefiting from that experience. The students who receive vouchers appreciate the educational opportunity that has been given to them and they are taking advantage of it in every way possible. These kids feel fortunate to be here and their positive attitude is having a meaningful impact on everyone.
The voucher program has allowed 22 new students and their families to become part of the Covenant Christian High School community this year. In just a few short weeks, the students have demonstrated that they are extremely motivated to succeed here and that’s good, because our school can be very challenging.
It’s great to know that students who were struggling at other schools are now thriving here. We are giving them the one-on-one tutoring that they need. But, it takes teamwork, and that’s why I’m excited to see so many parents engaged in their student’s learning. By working together, we can make a significant difference in their studies and we can help students achieve their dreams.
The new voucher program isn’t about private schools competing with public schools. The program is about giving students more options to succeed. That said, Wayne Township schools have been particularly supportive and our partnership has added to each school’s educational experience. We hope that this partnership continues.
I have always viewed this school choice as a justice issue. As Americans, we have many freedoms ranging from choosing our doctors to our politicians. I believe that parents should be able to choose their schools as well. Governments do not raise kids, parents do and that is exactly why they should get the choice.
We want to support kids wherever their needs are most efficiently met. Some public school options are great and some private schools are great too. The vouchers let parents decide which educational option is right for their children.
Christina Boland’s Story
Brazil, IN
As a licensed teacher, I have a special understanding of how important education is to my kids. Simply put, education matters the most and that is why I could not pass up the opportunity for my children to use the new voucher program.
While in public schools, my children were bullied and they did not receive the kind of one-on-one attention they needed to succeed academically. It was an unfortunate situation and one that I didn’t think that we could change. My husband, Paul, had gone back to school and private school tuition was too high for us to consider. Then, the voucher program came along and opened new doors for us.
After transferring my children to St. Patrick School, I have noticed a clear difference in each one of them. My daughter is an eighth-grader and she now has self-esteem that was lacking before she transferred. My third-grader, who used to struggle in his large classes, is now thriving in his smaller classes that give him more individualized attention. My fifth-grader also loves her new setting.
I cannot tell you how long it has been since my children were excited to go to school, and now they are happy to do so. I love seeing the joy in their faces as they start each new day and I wish that every parent could have the same experience.
Homework is no longer a struggle because teachers are available over e-mail at all times. Parents throughout the school are involved in their children’s lives and care deeply about their education, which helps the atmosphere at the school. St. Patrick’s also puts on various functions that have helped me and my children feel welcomed and involved.
Perhaps the change that I have noticed the most in my children is their sudden lack of fear. They used to be afraid of what people thought of them, fearful of failure and scared to try new things. Now, they have good friends and are confident enough to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them. I am so glad I embraced the voucher program and, in turn, gave my children more opportunity than I thought possible.
Colleen Bennett’s Story
Michigan City, IN
The voucher program has given my three sons an opportunity to experience a completely different learning environment. They are now part of a family where students care about each another and that is dramatically different than our past experience.
My A+ boys were bulled in their last school and that was painful for me to take. Bad kids would beat my boys up and it couldn’t do much about it. I’d call the police and hope that our situation would improve, but the bullying was a really bad influence on my sons.
I always wanted them to go to St. Stanislaus School, a private school, which is right next to my workplace. However, I couldn’t afford it because the cost of tuition was an issue. I didn’t think that my children would ever be able to try it.
Everything changed when I learned about the new school voucher program and decided to try my chances. I checked my eligibility online and was encouraged to find out that my family qualified. I visited St. Stanislaus to know more about their admission process and then we applied to participate. It was a bit nerve-racking to wait for final approval from the Department of Education, but I was happy to learn that my family was accepted and that we’d receive vouchers for all three of my children.
On August 22, my boys started going to their new school. They absolutely love their experience there. Classes are smaller and the school has this family atmosphere where everyone is always ready to help. There are only 14 children in their classes, and previously they had to compete for attention with 25 – 27 kids in class.
My sons are passionate about school, and they all excel in math. I am glad that they are now in a learning environment where they can focus on their studies and pursuing their dreams.
My 10-year old son wants to follow my career path to become a doctor. My 9-year old talks about becoming a professional cook, and my 7-year old wants to be a firefighter. Things will probably change once they get older, but I’m just glad to know that they are in a safe learning environment now.
Principal Chuck Weisenbach’s Story
Chuck Weisenbach
Principal at Roncalli High School
As a lifelong educator, I have a strong desire to see students at all schools succeed. Over the years, I’ve seen lots of kids do well in public schools and that option is a good fit for many families. But, I have also seen students struggle in some public school settings and then come to Roncalli and thrive in the learning environment that we provide. Since one size does not fit all, I’m delighted that Indiana has a new statewide voucher program that lets families decide which option is best for them.
Up until this year, the learning options available to Hoosier students were largely dictated by the family’s zip code. People with money certainly had options available to them, but low-income families were basically trapped if the public school in their area didn’t meet the needs of their child.
Now, parents are free to make the choice that best meets the needs of their child and I think that gives kids a better chance of being successful. Over time, we’ll have more stories to share regarding the success of this program, but we are already seeing positive signs.
One of our new students is from a family that lives well below the poverty line. When this student learned that a voucher could help her parents better afford our tuition, she came to us and started the process of applying. Her situation was one where the public school wasn’t meeting her needs. She told us, “I’m not getting the academic preparation that I need to get into college and do what I want to do with my life.”
She wanted to come to Roncalli prior to this year, but without the voucher, that wasn’t an option. Now, she is getting the academic rigor that she needs and we are challenging her in an environment that promotes learning and opportunity. We are delighted that she came to us and we are working with her to ensure that she gets to college and that she’s ready to succeed once she’s there.
Education is so important to our kids and our future as a city and a country. Parents know that and they want the best opportunity for their kids. Sometimes that means a great public school. Sometimes that means a great private school. Whatever the case, I’m just glad that we have a voucher program that puts parents in charge of determining the best option for their kids.
Principal Jo Hoy’s Story
Jo Hoy
Principal at Cardinal Ritter High School
When you stop to think about it, parents are free to make choices regarding what’s best for their kids in nearly every walk of life. It starts at birth when parents decide what their kids will eat and what kind of toys they’ll play with. As their kids get older, parents decide what books they’ll read to them and what the rules of the house will be. But up until this year, parents didn’t have much of a choice when it came to which school their kids attended.
I, for one, am glad to say that the voucher bill has changed that scenario and given parents the opportunity they deserve. And as the principal at Cardinal Ritter, I’m hearing from a lot of parents who are telling me that they love having a choice to decide which school can best meet their kids individual learning needs.
We have more than 50 students on vouchers this year and each family has a different story. One mother told me that her daughter had stopped going to her public school because she didn’t feel safe anymore. Our environment has given her the safety she desires and a new opportunity to thrive. Another parent told me that their student was struggling academically and that they felt like giving up because the class sizes were too big and there wasn’t enough personal attention at their public school. That student now gets the attention that’s required.
It’s important to recognize that public schools work well for the vast majority of families. But, that wasn’t the case with one of our new parents who tells me that her son’s public school was not providing the academic counseling required to get him to college. Today, he’s getting the tutoring he needs and he now believes that college is in his future.
I come from a family of public school educators and I taught public school for a few years myself. Some of the good teachers I know are still serving in public schools, but I also know that our school provides one of the best learning environments that students can find anywhere. I’m glad that Hoosier families now have a choice and that education options are no longer limited to only those that can afford it.
But, what gives me the most joy is talking to students who feel at home in their new environment. One student told me that he came here because there wasn’t enough discipline at his school and he felt that his teachers had to spend more time managing troubled kids than helping those that wanted to learn. He tells me that the transition here is going well but that he’s still working on one thing. He said, “I’m just not used to everyone being so nice.”
Sarah’s Story
Indianapolis, IN
After trying home school, public school and charter school, I felt I had run out of options for my children. Last November, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which meant I could no longer home school. Charter schools simply were not the right fit for my children. And, in public school, the gifted and talented program that my kids were in was cut due to budget reduction.
If I had not found out about the voucher program, I do not know what I would have done. With my multiple sclerosis and my mother living with us, private schooling was not an option financially for my family until now. The voucher program, which was very simple to use, has made all the difference in the world for us.
My 12-year-old son has aspirations of either being an oncologist or President of the United States. My 8-year-old daughter wants to be a nurse and is already talking about supporting herself someday. With dreams and goals as high as theirs, I want their education to be a platform for their success.
In just the short time that they have been attending their new school, I have noticed significant changes in the atmosphere my children are surrounded by. They love the fact that their peers are passionate and excited about learning and I love the structure and order their new school provides.
This change is all for the better, and I am so thankful that I was able to make this choice for my children.
