Keeping Up with Klinker: October Update

Update on redistricting, grant cancelled for our low-income students and more.

Oct 16, 2025

Continue Urging Lawmakers to Put People Over Politics

On Friday, Vice President JD Vance returned to Indiana to meet with Republicans for the third time about the redrawing of our congressional maps.

To those who have spoken out against this unpopular effort: Thank you. I urge you to continue your advocacy and to continue having conversations about mid-decade redistricting in your communities.

It cannot be overstated that bipartisan pushback is the reason a special session has not been called. Hoosiers do not want to pay for a special session to redraw the maps.

Since VP Vance’s last visit in August, Hoosiers have attended protests to ensure their voices are heard. You have sent emails, letters and made calls to your elected officials to preserve our current maps. I deeply value all the correspondence I have received.

To my Republican colleagues in the Indiana General Assembly: this is a bipartisan issue, and we can stand strong to preserve our current congressional maps. At a time when many of our constituents are struggling to make ends meet, we have far more important issues to focus on. As always, I would love to hear your comments or concerns at h27@iga.in.gov.

Federal Government Cancels Grant for 13,000 Low-Income Students

At the end of September, the Trump Administration cancelled a $34.9 million grant to Purdue University for the Indiana GEAR UP program. This program ensured children from all socioeconomic backgrounds had access to the resources needed to prepare for post-secondary education. Tutors, mentors and STEM coaches provided much-needed support to students from seventh grade to high school.

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) cancelled the grant since it includes DEI training, culturally responsive teaching and social-emotional learning in STEM. This decision is disappointing. Regardless of political affiliation, I believe everyone wants the best possible futures for our children. This program had a positive impact, and we should support any initiative that improves our students’ education.

Many of the young folk in our community will be affected by this decision since Lafayette School Corporation (LSC) participates in Indiana GEAR UP. The LSC Assistant Superintendent, Kathryn Reckard, shared the program’s positive impact with the media: “We had various students participating in the summer camp’s after-school tutoring, so as you can imagine, it has a very impactful impact on our kids and our parents and our school community. We will just keep going at it and reaching out to our community and keep doing great things for our kids and families.”

Thank you to Dr. Reckard and LSC’s other administrators and educators, who will continue to do the best they can for our children. Please reach out to my office at h27@iga.in.gov with any comments, questions or concerns.

GEAR UP students at a STEM leadership institute, photo courtesy of Purdue University

Tippecanoe School Corporation Superintendent Earns State Honors

Congratulations to Dr. Scott Hanback for winning the 2026 Superintendent of the Year from the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS). Dr. Hanback has served students in our community with devotion and compassion for over 15 years.

As a former educator, I can tell you Dr. Hanback is the type of person you want leading your school. He is a tireless advocate for the needs of our students and teachers. Thank you, Dr. Hanback, for your passion for service and your commitment to education.

You can read more about the award at this link.

Dr. Scott Hanback speaking with a young student, photo courtesy of TSC

Small Business of the Month: Garcia Insurance Agency

The small business of the month for September is Garcia Insurance Agency. Led by Diana Garcia, the agency is one of the most trusted in Lafayette, always putting people first. I’m thankful our community has a caring, quality insurance agency, people can rely upon in their time of need.

It was a pleasure to present this award with the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. You can read more about the small business of the month here. You can visit the website for Garcia Insurance Agency here.

Klinker awarding Garcia Insurance Agency

Indiana Cuts Reimbursement Rates for Child Care Providers

In early September, the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) cut provider reimbursement rates for Child Care Development Fund vouchers (CCDF). CCDF vouchers cover the cost of child care for families below the poverty line. Providers who serve these families are reimbursed by the state.

The reimbursement cuts are as follows:

Infants (0–12 months): 10% decrease
Toddlers (13–36 months): 10% decrease
Preschoolers (3–5 years): 15% decrease
School-Age Children (K–12): 35% decrease

This cut in state funding will gravely impact our families and providers. Our child care centers and facilities are experiencing significant financial strain. About 19% of facilities have closed at least one classroom this month, and 11% may close in the next year.

If our parents do find care, the cost is terribly high. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost for infant care in Indiana is $14,471. The high cost and lack of access are resulting in our young people leaving their employment to care for their child.

The cost-of-living crisis has many folks struggling to stay afloat, and instead of helping, this will hurt our parents. Next legislative session, I will be advocating for Indiana to create additional relief for parents in need of pre-k or child care.

Audit of the IEDC Shows Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars

The Tippecanoe County community was one of the first to raise concerns about the lack of transparency and oversight from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). Our mayor, city councilors, county commissioners and members of the public did an outstanding job advocating for the protection of the Wabash River aquifer. It was partially due to our advocacy that this audit of the IEDC was administered.

The state hired FTI Consulting Inc., based in Washington D.C., to perform an independent audit of the IEDC’s operations from 2022 to 2204. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am dismayed by the misuse of taxpayer dollars. Here is a summary of the audit’s major findings:

30 conflicts of interest where a company linked to an IEDC board member or employee received state funds.
- Only one conflict was properly reported to the Indiana Ethics Commission.
A development company connected to the former Secretary of Commerce, Brad Chambers, received a $77 million no-bid contract.
The Indiana Economic Development Foundation (IEDF) spent $13.4 million on domestic and international travel. This included trips for family members, fancy hotels, first-class flights and VIP perks.
Companies that donated to the foundation were often rewarded with state contracts.
The IEDC’s investment firm hasn’t “reliably tracked” its return on investment (ROI) for the state funds it put into the market.

This is a gross misuse of our taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars. I believe the legislature should reform the IEDC to protect state funds and rebuild public trust.

You can read an article about the audit here.