Indiana lawmakers join GOP-led states trying to target college tenure
Legislators in Indiana advanced a bill Wednesday that would limit tenure at public colleges and universities, joining conservative lawmakers across the country.
Education
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Rokita’s office begins updates to ‘Eyes on Education’ portal with responses from Indiana schools
After pushback from a dozen Indiana school districts, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office is making changes to its new “Eyes on Education” portal that publicizes alleged examples of “indoctrination” in Hoosier schools.
Rokita’s new ‘Eyes on Education’ portal prompts pushback from Indiana school officials
A new dashboard unveiled Tuesday by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office makes public more than two dozen allegations of “potentially inappropriate materials” in Hoosier schools, like critical race theory materials and gender identity policies.
Senate education bills on human sexuality, cursive move to House
A bill putting school boards “in the driver’s seat” on “human sexuality” instruction faced fierce opposition on Tuesday from Democrats worried it would restrict teaching on LGBTQ+ identities.
Obscene, or just objectionable? Here’s how Indiana schools are tackling library book complaints.
A new law — House Enrolled Act 1447 — opens the door to more public scrutiny of school library catalogs and has districts anticipating more challenges to what books students can read.
Indiana school boards to have final say over ‘human sexuality’ lessons under GOP-backed bill
Hoosier school boards would have authority over “human sexuality” instruction under legislation moving through the Indiana Statehouse.
Former virtual school leaders face decades in prison if found guilty in alleged enrollment scam
The federal investigation into alleged fraud at two virtual charter schools required a complex review that included interviews of falsely enrolled students and their parents — including the family of one student who was enrolled even after the student died.
Former virtual charter school leaders face federal charges tied to alleged enrollment scam
Several former charter school operators have been indicted for their alleged roles in conspiring to defraud the state of Indiana by padding student enrollment at virtual charter schools.
House passes 13th check, Senate approves sanctuary city ban enforcement
Indiana’s House of Representatives on Monday unanimously voted to offer former public employees a retirement benefit boost known as a 13th check.
Indiana lawmakers seem unlikely to tackle school consolidation in 2024 session
A new statewide report is fueling discussions about consolidating Indiana’s smallest school districts, but state lawmakers continue to lack an appetite for action — at least for now.
These are the major education topics Indiana lawmakers expect to focus on in 2024
Although Indiana lawmakers maintain the 2024 legislative session will be quicker, quieter and “noncontroversial,” there’s no shortage of critical — even touchy — education-related topics expected to be prioritized in the coming months.
Indiana teachers union presses reticent state lawmakers to reopen budget in 2024 session
Indiana’s largest teacher’s union is calling for better collective bargaining, increased pay for support staff and more say over curriculum in the upcoming legislative session.
Lawmakers to revisit reading proficiency, holding back third-graders
Too many Hoosier third-graders can’t read at an appropriate skill level — and some shouldn’t be going on to fourth grade, Indiana lawmakers said Tuesday during the ceremonial start to the legislative session.
School choice advocates create legal partnership: Former solicitor general Fisher helps lead new initiative
An Indianapolis-based organization dedicated to school choice is beginning a partnership with the Institute for Justice to represent parents in court.
Young to take on alumni, donor college admissions — without stepping on religious toes
Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young from Indiana and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, introduced a bill this month banning accredited institutions from offering preferential treatment to applicants with relationships to alumni or donors.
New performance report cards go live on each Indiana school’s website, replacing A-F grades
To increase transparency around Indiana students’ education performance, new report cards issued by the state education department are now required to be posted on nearly every Hoosier school’s website.
Chinn and Boswell: Students for Fair Admissions: Why it matters and what’s next
Since the SFFA opinion was handed down, legal scholars and practitioners across the country have been grappling with the full extent of the holding.
Boyce and Butler: Special education and the least restrictive environment
One of the core principles of special education law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, is to provide free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, or LRE. But what does LRE mean?
Librarians concerned new law could have ‘chilling effect’: HEA 1447 creates process for book challenges, prohibits ‘obscene’ materials
A new Indiana law set to take effect in 2024 has some public school librarians feeling uneasy, as the state has put in place procedures for challenging books and will require school libraries to prepare a publicly available catalog of materials.
Charter group: IPS decision to sue state violated open meetings law
The Indianapolis Public Schools board violated the state’s public meetings law when it approved a lawsuit against the state last week, a charter group has alleged.