Indiana's Biennial Budget

As of last week, the General Assembly is back in business at the Indiana State House. That may be especially interesting for your students this year, because state legislators are working on our two-year funding plan—the Indiana Biennial Budget.

Since Indiana puts together a budget only every other year, budget years get a lot of attention. When the General Assembly convenes in January (and even before Jan.1), they hear from stakeholders including state agencies (e.g., IDOE, FSSA, Department of Agriculture), individuals, special interest groups, businesses, schools, cities, and townships, all of whom have suggestions on how the state’s money should be spent.

The budget is the legislative blueprint for how much we will spend on programs and services in our communities for things like COVID prevention and treatment programs, transportation, job training, law enforcement, and Medicaid. This is a great time for students with disabilities (and their teachers and families) to learn about how to have a voice in the budget process for issues that pertain to them.