Indiana schools get roadmap for K-12 policy changes following 2025 legislative session
A new academic year is still weeks away, but Indiana educators are already working to implement a slate of new laws passed during the 2025 legislative session.
Education
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Notre Dame students helped prepare oral arguments for SCOTUS case
The students worked on the arguments as part of the university’s Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic.
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Law aims to help early readers
Proponents and critics of a new Indiana law crafted to boost reading proficiency at an early age agree on that basic principle.
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High Tech Crimes Units provide education and experience
The state’s efforts to combat high tech crimes brought Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council members, law enforcement and public officials together at Indiana State University earlier this month, as they heard about the recent successes of the state’s High Tech Crimes Units.
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Indiana schools respond to new law limiting cell phones in the classroom
Senate Bill 185, which became law on July 1, requires school corporations and charter schools to adopt a policy that prohibits students from using cellphones in the classroom. For students who haven’t known a world without the handheld device, the change is just that: a change, but one that many say is warranted and necessary for student learning and cooperation.
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Articles
Former Indiana virtual charter school official to plead guilty in $44M fraud case
Percy Clark, 82, of Carmel, who helped oversee Indiana Virtual School and Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy, admitted to participating in a plan to inflate student enrollment numbers to obtain tens of millions of dollars in state education funding.
Former Anderson University president joins Church Church Hittle + Antrim
John Pistole, former president of Anderson University, has joined Church Church Hittle + Antrim as a senior advisor in the firm’s Higher Education Practice Group.
Notre Dame connection may have led to Supreme Court deadlock in religious charter school case
Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, possibly because of her connection to a Notre Dame law professor who advised the religious entity trying to establish the charter school.
Under new law, state needs to create high school workforce credential framework
In legislation newly signed into law, the state will bolster its efforts to build tailored career development pathways by creating a short-term credential framework to offer hands-on workforce opportunities.
Last-minute change removes requirement for Indiana schools to teach consent in sex education
A Republican senator detailed changes to a contentious sex education bill on Monday, including deletion of a proposed requirement for K-12 schools to teach about consent.
Trump—with Indiana Gov. Braun on hand—orders plan to dismantle the Education Department
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives.
Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department
It’s not unusual for new presidential administrations to freeze cases while they adjust priorities, but exceptions typically are made for urgent situations, such as a child’s immediate learning situation. The freeze on pending cases and Trump’s calls to dismantle the Department of Education altogether left many parents worrying about the federal government’s commitment to disabled students’ rights.
Indiana Senate approves education measures, narrowly OKs carbon storage measure
Indiana’s Senate on Tuesday approved a trio of education measures – on supplemental teacher pay, sexual education materials and chaplain-counselors – largely along party lines. Then, the chamber nearly split on bulked-up carbon storage regulations.
Former Gov. Mitch Daniels joins Liberty Fund board
Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has joined the board of directors of the Liberty Fund, a private education foundation headquartered in Carmel.
IPS board takes stand against bills that threaten district’s survival
The Indianapolis Public Schools board took a stand against bills at the Indiana Statehouse that could dismantle the district in a statement at its Thursday meeting, calling on the public to share their concerns with lawmakers.
A-F grades set to return for Indiana schools as lawmakers consider new accountability system
After a multi-year hiatus, A-F grades are likely to be used again to measure the quality of Indiana’s schools. The return to a statewide letter grade system is outlined in Republican Rep. Bob Behning’s House Bill 1498, which unanimously passed out of the House Education Committee on Wednesday.
Indiana bill would expand K-12 curricular material ban to include ‘pornographic material’
As part of an ongoing effort to eradicate “obscene” and “harmful” books or curricular material from Indiana schools, a new bill floated by Republican lawmakers seeks to expand that ban to include “pornographic” content, too.
School districts, coalitions punch back at bill that would close their doors
A Republican-backed bill that could dissolve five Indiana school districts, including Indianapolis Public Schools, sparked backlash from advocates and district leaders who argue the legislation unfairly targets high-poverty and urban districts that primarily educate children of color.
Indiana House Republicans’ agenda includes effort to absorb disgruntled Illinois counties
House Republicans also introduced a slew of bills addressing trademark issues such as education, housing and health care.
State lawmakers expected to debate a slew of education-related proposals
State legislators are expected to spend the next four months hashing out how much money to make available for K-12 base funding, as well as allocations that could affect teacher pay, summer school and math and literacy tutoring.
Indiana lawmakers face tough decisions on education funding
Indiana lawmakers are preparing to write the next state budget, and as an economic surplus winds down, they face difficult decisions about what education programs to fund and how much to give them.
Education, health care highlight budget pitches for lawmakers
In the latest round of budget pitches, state agency heads detailed their funding requests before members of the General Assembly Monday, claiming victories and minimizing missteps over the last two-year budget cycle.
Campaign pledges to raise teacher pay face uncertain future at Statehouse
Campaign promises to raise teacher pay are facing an uncertain future on the floor of the Indiana Statehouse.
Tutoring programs funded by feds face uncertain future in Indiana
The Indiana Department of Education has indicated it would evaluate the academic impact of tutoring programs such as summer labs and learning grants as it seeks state, philanthropic, and existing funds to sustain and expand the programs.