Indiana schools chief Bennett gears up for re-election bid
String of controversial reforms draw campaign contributions, ire of opponents.
Charter Schools
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Waltons give $1 million to Mind Trust charter incubator
The $1 million grant from the Arkansas-based Walton Family Foundation will fund a team that will open its first charter school in the 2013-2014 school year as part of what the group hopes will become a network of high-performing charter schools.
Turnaround company wants to launch feeder schools
Charter Schools USA, the Florida-based company tapped by the state government to turn around Howe and Manual high schools in Indianapolis, also wants to launch two charter elementary schools to help feed students into those schools.
Ball State rejection threatens two Indy charter schools
Fall Creek and Fountain Square academies could be forced to close in May after Ball State University declined their applications this week.
Indianapolis charter school closing Dec. 16
Stonegate Early College High School is folding midyear due to financial troubles. The city has hired a trustee to help families find new schools.
Christel House eyeing adult charter school
Like Goodwill’s program, it would cater to dropouts.
Indy Schools chief demands charter investigation
The Indianapolis Public Schools superintendent wants the state to investigate charter schools that he claims break federal and state laws by turning away homeless and disabled students, a charge the president of the Indiana Public Charter Schools Association denies.
Gates Foundation gift aids Mind Trust initiative
Grant for $500,000 will go toward use of technology to personalize learning.
EDITORIAL: Charter grants beckon big education ideas
The Mind Trust is laying plans to hand out up to five $1 million grants next June to teams of educational entrepreneurs who would use the money to develop and launch innovative charter schools in Indianapolis.
Mind Trust to spawn chains of charter schools
The local not-for-profit is launching a program this month that will dole out million-dollar grants to teams of education entrepreneurs to help them start local chains of charters.
Ballard fulfilled some pledges; others fell by wayside
The Republican mayor says he curbed crime, made government transparent, and pushed for property tax reform. His Democratic challenger says Ballard didn’t make good on repealing an income tax increase, hiring hundreds of police officers, or making education a top priority.
Goodwill to open two more Excel centers
The schools, which help high-school dropouts earn their diplomas and start to receive post-secondary training, plan to enroll 300 students near the Indiana State Fairgrounds and 150 near the airport.
Charter school trying to build on test-score progress
Indy Met’s structured approach helped more students pass algebra, English exams. Now many say the school should work on solidifying its gains.
Indy Met’s messy year offers education-reform lessons
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School overhauled its academic program halfway through the school year, and students responded with significantly better performance on state tests. The lesson learned: Flexibility can produce academically superior outcomes.
Teach for America to double presence in Indianapolis
The New York-based not-for-profit, which opened shop in Indianapolis in 2008, plans to train 100 teachers in the summer of 2012, up from 50 this year.
Did Mayor Ballard jump gun on charter closure?
An Indianapolis charter school marked for closure by Mayor Greg Ballard posted huge gains in ISTEP scores this year, and school leaders plan to ask Ballard to reconsider his decision.
Ex-charter school teacher to lead school effort
Indiana's education chief has appointed a former charter school teacher to lead the state's efforts to turn around 18 chronically failing schools.
Bennett campaign for school changes not done
Hoosier schools chief Tony Bennett is embracing the role of pitchman as the Department of Education makes the changes he campaigned so hard for over the last few years real.
High schools still track students after graduation
Even after 45 seniors from Indianapolis Metropolitan High School grabbed their diplomas and threw their mortar boards at a June 4 commencement, they knew they wouldn’t lose touch with their school. It’s not allowed at Indy Met.
GUILLAUME: Front-load investment in the next generation of workers
Rate of return on early childhood education is much greater than spending in later years of school, research shows.