House panel backs bill to let education board decide leader
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz is one step closer to losing her position as leader of the State Board of Education.
K-12
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Senate panel proposes phase-in of school-funding shifts
Indiana Senate budget leaders are proposing that changes to local school funding be phased in so that cuts faced by some urban and rural districts with shrinking enrollments will be easier to manage.
School funding debate back on Indiana Legislature’s agenda
Education issues are coming back to the forefront of the Indiana Legislature as lawmakers are set to renew debates over funding for local school districts and who will head up the State Board of Education.
House panel saves ISTEP, revives proposals opposed by union
A proposal to replace ISTEP with an off-the-shelf national test was derailed Tuesday as an Indiana House committee sent the idea to a summer committee for further study.
Orchard School puts big fundraising event on one-year hiatus
The popular Orchard in Bloom Flower Show, one of the largest annual fundraisers on the city's north side, is taking a year off after 25 years, officials at the Orchard School said.
High court: Constitution doesn’t require school bus service
The decision stems from a case involving the Franklin Township school district in Indianapolis, which was sued after it eliminated free bus service for the 2011-2012 school year.
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.
State superintendent requests shift in House budget funds
Indiana's state schools superintendent asked lawmakers Thursday to shift money that a House budget plan allocated for charter schools to public schools instead and also outlined her plan to cut the cost of student testing.
Education roundup: One bill reducing super’s power left
The Senate Education Committee is considering numerous pieces of education-related legislation, including a bill aimed at removing the state superintendent of public instruction as chair of the Indiana State Board of Education.
Indiana recommends nearly $134M in testing contracts
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz is blasting a state recommendation to award nearly $134 million to six vendors to develop and administer tests for state's students.
School chiefs weigh in on proposed new funding formula
Leaders from some of Indiana's poorest school districts said Tuesday they fear proposed funding cuts they're facing, while those from growing districts are worried proposed increases for them won't be enough.
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."
Kenley: Slower-than-expected tax revenue warrants caution
Indiana Senate budget chief Luke Kenley said he might be a bit more restrained with spending in his version of the next two-year budget because the state has not been meeting its revenue projections for the current fiscal year.
Consultants map out steps to avoid repeat of testing uproar
Indiana needs to improve communication between its education leaders, hire more staff and take other steps to prevent a repeat of the “thorny issues” surrounding the length of this year’s ISTEP+ exam, two consultants hired by the state say.
Pence, legislators open to ditching ISTEP for cheaper alternative
Two bills already have passed the Senate that push the state in the direction of a national test.
More suburban students using state’s voucher program
Voucher use is up significantly in Hamilton County districts, but most children using the program still live in the state’s largest, poorest cities with some of the most troubled public schools.
Senate defeats civics test bill, grapples with ISTEP
Indiana students might be off the hook from a proposal asking they pass a civics test to graduate from high school after a bill to require it was defeated in the state Senate on Tuesday.
UPDATE: Pence signs bill trimming ISTEP times
The changes are expected to shave at least three hours off the test for all grades plus an additional hour in 5th and 7th grades.
Educators say cuts to ISTEP test times not enough
Indiana school administrators say they welcome efforts to shorten the standardized test that 450,000 students soon will begin taking, but they say the exam will still take too long.
Ritz addresses speculation on possible gubernatorial bid
State schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz, who has been at loggerheads with Gov. Mike Pence for most of his first term, isn’t ruling it out.