Bob Behning

STATE REP. BOB BEHNING Indiana House of Representatives: 1992-Present House District 91: Portions of Marion and Hendricks counties Statehouse Address: 200 West Washington Street, Room 401-8, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Committees:  House Committee on Education, Chair  House Committee Public Health  House Committee Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications  Occupation: Director of External Affair for the Educators College at Marian University Education: B.S., Indiana University Representative Behning has served in the Indiana State Legislature since 1992 and represents House District 91, including Marion and Hendricks counties. He was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and has been a proud Hoosier his entire life. In 1976, he received a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University. He was a small business owner for 34 years and is an active member of his church and community. Throughout his tenure as a representative, he has advocated for education reform in Indiana. As Chair of the House Committee on Education, he led efforts to pass the most comprehensive education reform package in the United States. Behning believes all parents deserve the right to choose the school that best meets their child's needs. In 2001, Behning was the co-author of House Bill 2102, a bill that would have created Indiana’s first charter schools. In 2011, Behning authored House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1003, creating the School Choice Scholarship program that provides families who do not have the financial means with a scholarship (or voucher) to pay the cost of tuition at a private school. This law leveled the educational playing field in Indiana by giving students of lower incomes and underprivileged backgrounds the same access to great educational options. The law also established a tax deduction for individual taxpayers who donate money to scholarship granting organizations. During the 2013 legislative session, Behning focused on bringing greater accountability to the classroom and giving more Hoosier students access to an educational environment that best fits their needs. His top three priority bills were HEA 1003, 1338 and Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 465. HEA 1003 made changes to Indiana's School Choice program, giving more students the opportunity to access a variety of opportunities. HEA 1003 also improved the current school grading system, creating one letter ranking focused primarily on how students improve. Additionally, the attendance of a full kindergarten year now qualifies as the two semesters in a public school needed before a student can access the School Choice program. HEA 1003 gave the siblings of Choice Scholarship recipients and children with disabilities access to the School Choice program. HEA 1338 increased accountability and standards in charter schools, enhancing transparency in students’ performances. That legislation addressed various issues regarding charter school administration, including making charter schools eligible to receive School Safety Grants. SEA 465 created the Indiana Works Council, which provided recommendations to the legislature on how to create innovative improvements to Indiana's job skill training. The governor designated distinct geographic regions throughout the state and established a Works Council for each region. In 2016, Behning worked with leadership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass two bills (HEA 1003 and SEA 200) to ensure teachers and schools would not be punished for the drop in 2015 ISTEP scores. Both bills were signed into law within the first month of session and immediately went into effect. In addition to decoupling 2015 ISTEP scores from teacher and school evaluations, Behning authored HEA 1395, which eliminates ISTEP on July 1, 2017 and created a 23-member panel to find the next generation of assessments for Indiana. Keeping children safe while they are at school is a top priority for Behning. He worked on an amendment that later became part of HEA 1005 to strengthen teacher background checks. Outside of his legislative role, Behning is also very involved in a number of community activities. He was on the board of directors at Westview Hospital. This position helped him become a key advocate for Marian University’s Osteopathic School of Medicine, Indiana’s second medical school, which opened in the fall of 2013. Behning was the School Board Chairman of Calvary Lutheran High School of Indianapolis from 1988-1992. He was the board president at the Lutheran High School in Indianapolis from 2000-2004. He was the Executive Director at Calvary Lutheran Church, LCMS, in Southport, Indiana from 2008-2014. Behning was an active member of the Guilford Township Civic Association. Additionally, he is a member of the Decatur Township Civic Council. Behning is a NCSL Early Learning Fellow and a member of the International Study Committee. He was recently named the co-chair of the NCSL Committee on Education. Through years of experience, knowledge and passion, Behning fundamentally strengthened Indiana’s K- 12 education system and put tools in place that will equip Indiana students with a high quality education to prepare them for success.