Report: Indiana far short of funding teacher pensions
Indiana is among the nation’s five most underfunded teacher pension programs, but low ranking is misleading.
K-12
Articles
Cash-strapped schools eye full-day kindergarten
Many districts want to keep the full-day programs and say they’re considering increasing fees to do so.
UPDATE: Teachers union tells Bennett to start over on reform
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett invites heads of teachers unions to meeting to publicly share reform ideas instead of “bureaucratic rhetoric and no
specifics.”
Catholic charters approved by Ballard will be first in nation
Concerns about separation of church and state have prompted a national watchdog group to express reservations.
Bennett demands ISTA support for school reforms
State superintendent of public instruction says teacher union support imperative to win federal grant.
Catholic schools get final OK to become charters
The City-County Council gave its official blessing to two Catholic schools in poor neighborhoods converting into secular charters;
they will receive new names by fall.
State names second virtual charter school
Rural Community Academy, in Sullivan, south of Terre Haute, can enroll as many as 280 students in the 2010-11 academic year. Those students would do most of their work from home, accessing lectures and school materials via the Internet.
Thousands of teachers losing jobs, union says
Indiana State Teachers Association forecasts up to 5,000 teachers may lose their jobs. That’s about 8 percent of public school
teachers statewide.
Anderson schools might cut 200-plus jobs
A central Indiana school district could see 20 percent of its jobs cut for next school year as it works to close a multimillion-dollar
budget deficit.
Daniels: Without recovery, schools face tough 2011
K-12 education in Indiana already has faced $300 million in reduced state funding this year as the state has cut spending
in the face of lower tax revenues.
Schools decry funding disparity in lawsuit
Hamilton Southeastern will see its per-pupil spending of $5,000 drop about $100 in 2010 despite a projected 900-student increase,
the lawsuit says. Indianapolis Public Schools, which has lost more than 1,000 students a year for the last five years, will
receive $7,500 per student in 2010.
Growing Indiana schools districts suing over funding
Hamilton Southeastern, Franklin Township and Middlebury Community Schools of Elkhart County say the school-funding formula
unfairly penalizes districts with growing enrollments.
Some Indianapolis charters see financial position weaken
Mayor’s report shows smaller cash reserves for many schools, but one charter operator blames late government payments.
State tries new plan to track students’ growth
Instead of focusing on standardized tests, the Indiana Growth Model will monitor individual students’ academic growth to measure
their progress and identify effective teaching methods, state public education officials say.
Education by statistics
Inconceivable as it might sound, will the increasing focus on academic performance in public schools give private schools
a run for their money? It wouldn’t be the first time statistics upset an apple cart.
Daniels says he’d sign bill to push back school start
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says he’d sign legislation that would prevent most schools from starting classes before Labor Day
if the General Assembly approves the proposal.
COPPER: Misunderstandings put Indiana school funding in a bind
State government overreacted in its attempts to reign in construction costs, and should seek middle ground
State Senate could vote on school start date bill
The Indiana Senate could vote by midweek on legislation that would prevent most schools from starting classes before Labor
Day.
Indiana Senate panel approves school-start-date bill
The committee endorsed legislation that would prevent the state’s public schools from starting classes before Labor Day.
Lilly Endowment gives another $6 million to ISU institute
Philanthropic giant has gifted $29 million since 2003 to fund research and education in financial services.