Veteran educator running against Bennett for state post
Glenda Ritz’ opposition to pass-fail tests is fueling her campaign to unseat Tony Bennett as Indiana’s education czar.
K-12
Articles
State schools chief’s mentor taught him to ruffle feathers to improve education
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett credits retired education professor John Moody with inspiring much of the reform agenda he has pushed over the past four years.
Judge backs mayor’s decision to revoke school’s charter
The Project School in Indianapolis has lost a court battle to remain open after a judge denied an injunction challenging Mayor Greg Ballard's decision to revoke the school’s charter.
Indiana lawmaker seeks to close voucher law loophole
A state lawmaker plans to sponsor a bill seeking to close a loophole that bars the children of some military families from taking part in Indiana's school voucher program.
Charter school lands more time in fight against closure
The Project School was granted a court hearing and restraining order Tuesday in its fight against Mayor Greg Ballard’s plan to revoke its charter. Ballard, though, emphasized his decision by issuing a “final notice of charter revocation.”
Private schools with vouchers saw slight drop in test scores
Private Indiana schools that accepted students from low- to middle-income families using state-funded vouchers last year experienced a small drop in their passing rates on the state's ISTEP test this year, a newspaper's analysis of test scores shows.
Gregg calls for early child education program
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg said he wants the state to begin educating students before kindergarten.
Ballard moves to shut down The Project School
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard announced Tuesday evening that he intends to revoke the charter that gives The Project School the authority to operate. Ballard cited poor test scores and “recently discovered financial problems.”
ISTEP+ gains come amid increasing accountability
Indiana students made improvements across the board on the state's standardized test this year amid a push for more school accountability and the first state takeovers of failing schools.
Indiana students do slightly better on ISTEP tests
Scores released Tuesday by the state education department show that of the 500,000 students taking the standardized tests, 71 percent passed both the language arts and math sections. That's up one percentage point from last year.
Bennett to release annual school test scores
Indiana Schools Superintendent Tony Bennett is rolling out the latest statewide school test scores.
Board’s ruling puts Fall Creek home sites back on market
Buyers have quickly snapped up two home sites and the city might sell seven more on a stretch of Broadway Street where The Oaks Academy had hoped to build a soccer field.
Manufacturers help schools fill training void
Manufacturers—bedeviled by an underskilled labor force—seek highly trained graduates. Career centers—struggling with funding cuts—seek support from companies so classes can keep operating.
One teacher quits, 5 suspended in Indy district
An Indianapolis school district said Friday it suspended five teachers and another resigned amid an investigation into cheating on a state standardized biology exam at one of Indiana's largest high schools.
Lawrence Township finds buyers for surplus buildings
The northeast-side school district has sold one building, has three offers for another and is seeking tenants for 100,000 square feet in a third building.
Mind Trust awards $1M to two charters to expand school models
The Indianapolis-based education reform group The Mind Trust will announce June 25 that it is awarding $1 million apiece to Indianapolis-based Christel House Academy and Boston-based Phalen Leadership Academies to launch new charter schools in Indianapolis.
IU report questions Mind Trust plan for IPS
Six months after the Mind Trust released its plan to reform Indianapolis Public Schools, researchers at Indiana University now say the plan rests on experiments in other cities that led to greater inequity among students and did not produce dramatic academic gains.
Hammond school district laying off nearly 100 teachers
A northwestern Indiana school district has told nearly 100 teachers that they might be laid off as yet another of the state's large districts faces big staffing cuts.
Mayors have mixed record leading schools
The question at the heart of this year’s debate over the future of Indianapolis Public Schools is whether the district should be placed in the hands of Indianapolis’ mayor. But when mayors take control of bad schools, test scores usually rise but challenges don’t go away.
Study proposed on future of Anderson’s Wigwam gym
An architect is proposing a study for finding a new use for Anderson's closed Wigwam gymnasium, possibly turning it into a convention center.