Republican legislative leaders want to restore their credibility among Indiana teachers with proposals they say will mean more money for education and drive more dollars into classrooms and away from administration.
House Speaker Brian Bosma said he’s thinking about whether to pursue legislation to make the state superintendent of public instruction an appointed rather than elected position.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce wants the state schools superintendent to be appointed by the governor in 2016, setting the stage for another acrimonious education battle.
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.
One of Indianapolis Public Schools' most famous schools would shut down and four others would see dramatic changes to their offerings under a plan presented to the school board Tuesday night.
As part of the negotiations over the city budget and a preschool proposal, a 1-percent charter school management fee is being considered.
More schools received As and fewer had Fs under grades the Indiana State Board of Education assigned Wednesday.
City-County Council Democrats and Republicans have agreed on alternative sources to fund a preschool program proposed by Mayor Greg Ballard, which also would include $20 million from private sources.
On the line is whether the district will continue to move toward cooperation with charter schools and the business community, or instead slow the move toward aggressive reforms.
Charlesbank Capital Partners and Partners Group say the purchase—reportedly for $1.5 billion—ensures the educational-products company “has the capital structure, resources, and financial flexibility” to further expand.
Democrats released the numbers Friday, saying they are evidence that the voucher program supported by Republicans is stealing money from public schools.
The school board reversed course and dumped a contract with a national teacher program, as angry board members accused each other of playing politics.
The special meeting sends signals that the board could back out of the $750,000 program, which apparently was launched in IPS before the board formally approved it last week.
IPS board members met this week to prepare a lobbying strategy for the Indiana General Assembly’s session that begins in January. Chief among their goals: reining in the state takeover process.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Tuesday he still won’t apply for up to $80 million in preschool funding – despite an extended federal deadline and calls from several education officials.
Challengers to incumbents are collecting the largest checks. Big contributors range from the Indy Chamber political action committee to executives with Facebook and LinkedIn.
The State Board of Education voted Wednesday to delay approving letter grades for public schools because members said they were unsure about the underlying data.
For the second time in three years, Indianapolis’s Christel House Academy South charter school received a higher grade than the state’s scoring formula initially said it should.
Indiana House Republicans say they will work in 2015 to boost money for public schools and rewrite the formula that distributes those dollars to try to reduce the gap between the state’s highest and lowest funded districts.
The $1 billion budget approved by the City-County Council Monday night included a last-minute amendment that could put $1.7 million toward the mayor’s plan to cut crime and expand access to preschool.
