Watchdog urged prosecutor to seek Bennett charges
In a letter, Indiana’s top ethics watchdog notified a local prosecutor of evidence suggesting former schools chief Tony Bennett violated the state’s “ghost employment” and federal wire fraud laws.
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Board takes control of state takeover from Ritz
Wide-ranging recommendations by the Indiana Board of Education also ask the Legislature for more funding and a quicker path to take over schools, and even school districts.
IPS OKs Shortridge High School student shift over objections
Some parents complained the move, which will bring more International Baccalaureate students to Shortridge, puts the interests of affluent north-side families ahead of those of other families.
GOP leaders say education funding to be focus of 2015 session
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.
Bosma: Dysfunctional relationship in education needs to stop
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.
Chamber to push appointed schools chief, Sunday booze sales
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.
Indiana sees big increase in A-graded schools
More schools received As and fewer had Fs under grades the Indiana State Board of Education assigned Wednesday.
Expected low turnout makes IPS races hard to predict
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.
Number of Indiana students using vouchers jumps dramatically
Democrats released the numbers Friday, saying they are evidence that the voucher program supported by Republicans is stealing money from public schools.
IPS dumps Teach Plus contract as board members trade barbs
The school board reversed course and dumped a contract with a national teacher program, as angry board members accused each other of playing politics.
IPS board president calls meeting on Teach Plus contract
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 plans to fight back against charter expansion in 2015
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.
IPS candidates raking in funds from near and far
Challengers to incumbents are collecting the largest checks. Big contributors range from the Indy Chamber political action committee to executives with Facebook and LinkedIn.
UPDATE: Education panel delays grades for public schools
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.
IPS school board candidate says mistake led to plagiarism
Indianapolis Public Schools board candidate Ramon Batts says he regrets representing work from three national advocacy organizations as his own in his responses to a Chalkbeat Indiana survey.
Coming to Indianapolis: a public boarding school?
Indianapolis Public Schools next year could consider bringing a free public boarding school—one of just a few in the country—to the city.
Board ponders new Indiana school ‘A-F’ grades
Indiana education leaders inched closer Wednesday to approving a new system for grading the state's schools, nearly a year after a secret overhaul of the school-grading formula by then-Schools Superintendent Tony Bennett was revealed.
Indiana preschool pilot to begin in 4 counties
Four urban Indiana counties selected for a state-funded preschool pilot program will launch it in early 2015, officials said Wednesday during a day of meetings among state and local officials and educators.
New IPS teacher contract includes performance bonuses
Under the pact approved by the school board Tuesday, teachers who were rated “effective” last fall can earn a $1,500 one-time bonus.
Council Dems say they’re pushing preschool debate into 2016
City-County Council President Maggie Lewis and Vice President John Barth said children could be served next year by the state’s much smaller pilot program, which will reach nearly 800 economically disadvantaged four-year-olds in Marion County.