IPS, Mind Trust choose school-turnaround fellows
The fellows will work to develop new approaches for struggling IPS schools, including concepts that focus on entrepreneurship and the Montessori method.
K-12
Articles
Indiana students to face 2 new tests next 2 years
Major changes in the state's education policies will have Indiana students taking new, different standardized tests in each of the next two academic years, officials said Monday.
New state incentives to keep quality students lack funding
A plan to keep top-performing students home in Indiana after they graduate from college passed the General Assembly unanimously earlier this year, but it could face trouble as lawmakers decide how to fund it.
State awards $8 million in school-improvement grants
The grants – funded by the federal government – are awarded to schools that demonstrate a need for the money and plan to use the funds to raise achievement levels.
Report says school voucher changes cost state $16M
An Indiana Department of Education report shows that changes to the state's private school voucher program are costing the state roughly $16 million. Voucher supporters questioned the report’s accuracy.
Pence urges feds to OK education standards waiver
The waiver allows Indiana to set different state standards for education without having to fully comply with the rules set by the controversial federal law.
IPS says outside audits confirm budget surplus
Two outside financial audits confirmed what Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Lewis Ferebee declared in March: IPS has been operating with a surplus rather than a deficit.
Court: School districts can’t charge for bus rides
The Indiana Court of Appeals says a Marion County school district acted unconstitutionally when it indirectly charged fees for students to ride buses to school.
School catering to juvenile offenders gets approval
The city will be the first in the nation to open a charter school designed for youth passing through the juvenile court system and other troubled students.
Federal agents seize documents at charter school
Agents collected documents from the Indiana Math and Science Academy this week as part of court-ordered search warrant. The school at 7435 N. Keystone Ave. said it provided information related to a federal grant program.
State awards $9 million to boost school safety
The funds will be split between purchasing new equipment for schools and hiring resource officers.
Ritz: New ISTEP test coming sooner at federal request
Indiana must establish a new ISTEP test a year earlier than planned if state officials want to maintain their waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Outside group calls for audit of teacher evaluation programs
Stand for Children Indiana said the teacher evaluations conducted last year were inconsistent and that some districts failed to conduct annual evaluations of all certified educators.
Indianapolis part of new federal STEM initiative
President Barack Obama drew attention to girls’ science and engineering accomplishments Tuesday as he announced a mentoring effort involving Indianapolis to improve and diversify the nation’s technological work force.
Report: School counselors doing less counseling
A new report finds school counselors in Indiana are focusing an increasing amount of time on work that’s not associated with their primary roles as advisers and less time helping kids deal with life issues or college and job preparation.
State education board taps former IPS principal
Former Harshman Middle School Principal Bob Guffin is set to become the board's new executive director.
Strapped schools are wheeling and dealing with municipalities
State-mandated tax caps are putting additional pressure on public budgets—and spurring local governments to take unusual steps to help their cash-strapped schools.
Indiana gives initial OK to new teacher license
The State Board of Education has given its initial approval to a proposal that would allow college graduates with a B average in any subject to earn a K-12 teaching license in Indiana.
Indiana: Feds delayed No Child Left Behind report
Indiana Department of Education officials said Tuesday that they expected to hear about concerns with the state's No Child Left Behind waiver last fall, but federal monitors delayed releasing the report until last month without explanation.
State education board reviewing federal concerns
Federal monitors found trouble with outreach to low-performing schools and with teacher evaluations. They also raised concerns over the state's decision to exit national Common Core standards.