Charter star Tindley in cash crunch as CEO’s expenses questioned
The much-lauded Tindley Accelerated Schools has missed its enrollment targets this year, forcing it to eliminate positions and seek loans.
Education reform
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Lawrence Township’s $12M magnet plan creates little movement
Five years ago, Lawrence Township became one of the first districts in the nation to convert all of its elementary schools into magnet schools. Today, few parents are exercising choice—at most schools, 90 percent of students come from the surrounding neighborhood.
Mind Trust receives $3 million grant from Fairbanks
The Mind Trust education reform group will receive $3 million more from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to launch new public schools, attract teachers to Indianapolis and advance changes in K-12 schools.
Charters awarded $40M in loans from controversial state program
Indiana’s State Board of Education on Friday said it had received requests for a total of $77M in loans from 33 charter schools, exceeding the funding approved for the $50M program.
IPS board votes to close Key school, OKs school-autonomy plan
Indianapolis Public Schools board members voted Thursday to shut down the groundbreaking Key Learning Community while approving a plan that would move IPS schools toward more autonomy.
Funding challenges loom over education-reform groups
Education reform groups are struggling to raise money locally, even as Indiana is recognized as one of the friendliest in the nation for school reform ideas.
Extra resources lift performance of impoverished schools
Providence Cristo Rey is one of a handful of Indiana schools with overwhelming numbers of low-income students that is achieving results at least as good as or better than the state average.
IPS board member resigns to lead Mind Trust venture
Caitlin Hannon, a former Indianapolis Public Schools teacher who joined the school board in an effort to push for change in the district, has stepped down.
Ballard’s charter schools chief to become VP at Mind Trust
Brandon Brown has overseen the opening of 15 charter schools since 2012, raising the mayor’s charter schools portfolio to 35.
Program that helped put students on path to college leaving state
A combination of setbacks has caused College Summit, which helped high school students make it to college who otherwise might not have gone, to suspend operations in Indiana.
Indy’s charter students grew scores faster than public peers
Students at charter schools achieved twice as much growth on reading and math tests as similar students at local traditional public schools, according to a new study from Stanford University.
Bill seeks to stop ‘charter shopping’ by failing schools
Rep. Robert Behning, who is sponsoring the measure, said: "We should not be taking bad schools and passing them off to somebody else."
Ritz supporters plan Statehouse rally Monday afternoon
Organizers of the rally are targeting bills moving through the Statehouse that would shift some authority from state schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz.
Pence orders shorter ISTEP+ exams after Ritz raises concerns
The governor announced Monday he would look for ways to curtail Indiana's revamped statewide assessment test from the up to 12½ hours it's been projected to take.
Nearly 80 schools, districts could face takeover under bill
House Bill 1638 would give significant new powers to the State Board of Education to intervene in schools earning a D or F grade for at least four straight years—even creating new schools within a school district.
Lilly Endowment gives $3.4M more to The Mind Trust
The Lilly Endowment has now given more than $14 million to Indianapolis-based The Mind Trust to fund programs that recruit and train teachers for work in schools in the city’s high-need neighborhoods.
Bill would create fund for teaching expelled students
A bill introduced in the Indiana General Assembly would divert $10 million or more in state education money into a new fund that would make grants to schools that focus on teaching expelled students.
Board takes control of state takeover from Ritz
Wide-ranging recommendations by the Indiana Board of Education also ask the Legislature for more funding and a quicker path to take over schools, and even school districts.
Bennett probe recommended prosecution for fraud
The investigation of former Indiana schools Superintendent Tony Bennett found more than 100 instances in which he or his employees violated federal law. The state’s formal report in February minimized the infractions, and Bennett has never faced prosecution.
Charters’ grades fall, spurring concerns
The percentage of Marion County charter schools receiving a D or an F from state regulators has spiked from 30 percent two years ago to 54 percent this year.