In attempt to recover state money that two virtual charter schools received for allegedly non-existent students, Indiana has cut off public dollars to Indiana Virtual School and Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy, according to letters sent Friday by the state education department.
The state education board voted unanimously to try to recover about $40 million from Indiana Virtual School and Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy after the state examiner found the schools inflated enrollments with inactive and out-of-state students—and, in one case, a student who had died.
Two school years after a student died, Indiana Virtual School kept him on its rolls and received state funding to educate him. And that was just one example of how the school inflated enrollment by hundreds of students, according to the findings of a state examiner’s investigation.
The incident involving a Noblesville school raises questions over who’s responsible for ensuring private schools that receive vouchers comply with state laws.
An Indianapolis school that allowed students to study abroad in 11th grade will close for the coming school year while leaders try to work through challenges that arose during its first year.
Interim superintendent Aleesia Johnson, a longtime ally of charter schools, was officially chosen to lead Indianapolis Public Schools by the district’s school board Friday.
After meeting late into the night Tuesday, the Indianapolis Public Schools board is coalescing around a new superintendent, according to one of its board members.
The tentative agreement between Indiana Virtual School, its sister school and its oversight agency comes several months after allegations emerged that the long-troubled charter network enrolled thousands of inactive students.
Indianapolis Public Schools' interim superintendent, Aleesia Johnson, and the other two finalists will face public interviews on Tuesday.
Days ahead of public interviews with superintendent candidates, Indianapolis Public Schools board members say they have three strong choices—but they are waiting to release their names.
Prominent Indianapolis charter network Tindley Accelerated Schools will consolidate its five schools to three amid continued financial hurdles that have hindered the organization in recent years.
As the school choice debate emerges as an issue in the presidential election, Bart Peterson, an architect of Indianapolis’ charter-school movement, says the schools aren’t fighting back strongly enough against their critics.
The Indianapolis Public Schools board this week will begin meeting in executive session to review applications, identify finalists, and determine next steps.
The Indiana Charter School Board voted down two charter applicants Tuesday after raising concerns that they would not be able to attract enough students to be viable in a city where many schools are already under-enrolled.
The local districts were among 10 school districts statewide that sought funding from voters to supplement the state and local money they already receive.
Lawmakers’ actions this year, paired with a funding cut, represent the biggest steps the state has taken to regulate virtual charter schools since they launched a decade ago.
The 2019 legislative session ended April 24—five days ahead of the statutory deadline—with hundreds of bills sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb for his consideration.
Over the last three decades, Indiana’s teacher-shortage areas have shifted from focusing mostly on special education to including broader areas such as math, science, and language arts.
An annual national report on preschool dumped Indiana from this year’s rankings, excluding the state’s fledging On My Way Pre-K program because of a controversial requirement that bars some families in need from signing up.
In Indiana, the number of foster children rose 60 percent between 2012 and 2016—the second-steepest climb in the nation, according to federal data.