Panel supports scrapping Indiana school grades
A Republican-controlled state Senate committee agreed Wednesday with the new Democratic state schools superintendent that Indiana's A-F grading scale for individual schools should be scrapped.
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Bill that would shift Indiana voucher oversight advances
Indiana's new Democratic state schools superintendent would no longer oversee the private school voucher program that she has opposed under a proposal approved Tuesday by a Republican-controlled legislative committee.
Bill to ban Indiana teacher union deductions advances
Republicans sparked protests from teachers and union officials Tuesday by pushing legislation through a House committee that would bar Indiana schools from automatically deducting union dues from teacher paychecks, an issue that critics thought was off the table this year.
Indiana school voucher expansion scaled back
The House Ways and Means Committee removed a provision that would have opened the voucher program to current private school students by not requiring them to first spend at least one year in public schools.
Bill calls for review of Indiana school standards
A proposal for statewide hearings on whether Indiana should keep or modify the Common Core State Standards national education benchmarks was approved Wednesday by a legislative committee.
Indiana House education panel OKs voucher expansion
The measure would remove a one-year waiting period students have to spend in public school before qualifying for a voucher and qualify wealthier families for the program in certain cases.
Ballard won’t levy charter fee, despite fiscal squeeze
Mayor Greg Ballard is nationally recognized as a rigorous charter authorizer, picky about which schools open and willing to shut down the under-performers. But there is a cost to the city’s education work and Ballard may have to consider how much of it can be supported by the city’s maxed-out general fund alone.
House GOP considers Indy preschool as model
House Republican leaders toured an Indianapolis preschool Wednesday, one day before the House Education Committee takes up a proposal to give preschool vouchers to low-income families in a small number of cases.
Mayor to take control of four struggling Indy schools
The Indiana State Board of Education is handing authority over four troubled Indianapolis schools to the city's mayor.
Indiana Senate backs cursive writing requirement
Senators voted 36-13 Tuesday in favor of the proposal despite arguments from some senators that it represents an unwarranted mandate from the state on local school districts.
Bill relaxing state superintendent rules advances
The Indiana House has approved a bill that would end the requirement that local school superintendents hold a state superintendent's or teacher's license.
Bill advances to loosen Indiana superintendent rules
Local school superintendents would no longer have to hold an Indiana superintendent's or teacher's license under a bill endorsed by an Indiana House committee.
Indiana House OKs looser rules on selling old schools
The Indiana House has approved a bill that would shorten the time that school districts must hold onto vacant buildings in case a charter school operator wanted to move into the building.
Education spending debate a matter of priorities
Top Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly agree that more money is needed to improve Indiana's education system in the next two years, but how that money will be spent is a point of debate.
Pence says he, Indiana schools chief have same aims
Indiana's new governor and state schools superintendent are from different political parties but they seemed in agreement Friday on getting schools to focus more on preparing students for careers.
Indiana bill to overturn school standards delayed
The chairman of the Indiana Senate's Education Committee says he's working on a compromise to a bill that would pull the state from the Common Core State Standards national education initiative.
Governor, Indiana House GOP seek vouchers, pre-K aid
Gov. Mike Pence and top Republican legislators plan to barrel ahead this year with the "freight train" of education changes sought by Indiana's former governor, including proposals to expand school vouchers and use private money to send children to preschool.
IPS chief White goes public with plan to retire in April
The embattled superintendent of the Indianapolis Public Schools says he's retiring from the state's largest school system on April 5. Eugene White announced the move to the IPS board Tuesday night.
State senator looks to overturn school standards
A Republican state senator is trying to pull Indiana out of the Common Core State Standards national education initiative, targeting the benchmarks as a costly program that would weaken the state's schools.
Ben Davis school boasts impressive graduation rates
Seniors are earning their diploma while receiving a associate’s degree.