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.
Education reform
Articles
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 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 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.
State board raises Christel House’s grade from D to B
For the second time in three years, Indianapolis’s Christel House Academy South charter school received a higher grade than the state’s scoring formula initially said it should.
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.
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.
Data deluge prompts teacher colleges to extend training after graduation
Rattled by new state teacher ratings, the colleges hope to avoid black eyes, themselves.
State OKs rules to license teachers without education degrees
The State Board of Education approved new rules Wednesday for teacher licensing that make it easier for college graduates without education degrees to get jobs in Indiana classrooms.
Lilly Endowment pumps $14.5M into MBAs for school leaders
The endowment hopes to expand educational MBA programs, including one at the University of Indianapolis, to give business skills to more principals and superintendents at Indiana public schools.
Indiana teachers face new standards, revised test
With the school year underway, teachers are still scrambling to bring themselves and their students up to speed on the state's new education standards only months before students take a revamped, high-stakes exam assessing their grasp of the new curriculum.
Marion among counties picked for pre-K pilot program
Five Indiana counties will be part of the state’s preschool pilot program for low-income children, which could be launched in early 2015.
Program preps students to teach at high-need schools
Forty-five Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellows received incentives to attend cutting-edge master's degree programs at Ball State, IUPUI, Purdue University, the University of Indianapolis and Valparaiso University.
IPS, Mind Trust choose school-turnaround fellows
The fellows will work to develop new approaches for struggling IPS schools, including concepts that focus on entrepreneurship and the Montessori method.
Indiana students to face 2 new tests next 2 years
Major changes in the state's education policies will have Indiana students taking new, different standardized tests in each of the next two academic years, officials said Monday.
Pence urges feds to OK education standards waiver
The waiver allows Indiana to set different state standards for education without having to fully comply with the rules set by the controversial federal law.
School catering to juvenile offenders gets approval
The city will be the first in the nation to open a charter school designed for youth passing through the juvenile court system and other troubled students.
Outside group calls for audit of teacher evaluation programs
Stand for Children Indiana said the teacher evaluations conducted last year were inconsistent and that some districts failed to conduct annual evaluations of all certified educators.
Indianapolis part of new federal STEM initiative
President Barack Obama drew attention to girls’ science and engineering accomplishments Tuesday as he announced a mentoring effort involving Indianapolis to improve and diversify the nation’s technological work force.