Software keeps kids on school buses safe from sickness
Indianapolis-based Synovia Solutions’ latest platform—Bus Guardian—helps with contact tracing and hygiene verification for school buses.
Education & Workforce Development
Articles
City directs $1.4M in relief funds to adult, postsecondary education programs
The city of Indianapolis and local education providers on Thursday announced the expansion of two postsecondary education programs through the city’s share of federal coronavirus relief funds.
Hamilton Southeastern planning Noblesville debut with $35M elementary school
Hamilton Southeastern Schools received favorable recommendations from the Noblesville Plan Commission to rezone a 40-acre parcel at the northwest corner of East 156th Street and Boden Road, but the property still needs to be annexed into the city.
Virus clusters erupt at U.S. universities as semester begins
The University of Notre Dame has reported 58 confirmed cases since students returned to the South Bend campus in early August.
Indiana blocks some charter schools from $10M pandemic relief grant program
The Indiana Department of Education is withholding federally funded coronavirus relief grants from schools that also received money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program, according to school leaders.
Sites to offer free child care, e-learning support to Indianapolis children
Several Indianapolis not-for-profits are creating a multi-site community child care network that will provide free e-learning supervision for students whose schools are operating remotely this year.
In Big Ten cities, fall without college football is crushing economic blow
The cancellation of the fall season promises to wallop businesses who count on those fall weekends for survival, and the economic impact likely will measure in the tens of millions in many of the small towns across the sprawling conference.
IU President McRobbie to step down in 2021
Michael A. McRobbie will continue leading Indiana University through the upcoming academic year, in which the school must contend with the unknowns presented by the coronavirus pandemic.
Purdue coach proposes running two football seasons in 2021
Purdue University Head Football Coach Jeff Brohm said he believes football can be played safely in the spring and again next fall if university presidents and medical teams agree.
Holcomb proposes moving student count date to fix virtual funding issue
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday announced a plan to avoid a situation in which school systems that choose not conduct in-person classes due to pandemic concerns receive less than 100% of expected funding.
Colleges planning football in spring face lots of questions
Exactly when a season could be played in the spring is likely to be determined by the status of the pandemic and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Would anybody in college sports want football treading on basketball’s main event?
Delaware County school district quarantines 228 students
It’s the largest student quarantine in the state reported so far, topping the roughly 48 students affected in the Lanesville Community Schools in southern Indiana’s Harrison County.
IBJ Podcast: Pete the Planner on derailed college, early professional careers
Is this a good time for college students to take a “gap year,” instead of returning to campus in the midst of a pandemic—or paying for remote instruction? Podcast host Mason King asks IBJ columnist Peter Dunn about that and other issues facing students, recent grads and their families.
Governor, House speaker say they’re committed to fully funding schools
But the leader of the Indiana Senate doubles down on his statement that he can’t guarantee full funding for schools that don’t offer an in-person option for students.
Indiana seeks $2.2M from Daleville district for alleged virtual school fraud
State auditors said Daleville Community Schools failed to hold Indiana Virtual School and Indiana Virtual Pathways Academy to their charter contracts, review the schools’ finances, or press for improvements.
Top GOP lawmaker says schools might see less funding if all classes taught online
Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray sent a letter to school leaders on Thursday that said there’s “no guarantee” schools that choose not to resume any in-person classes due to health and safety concerns will receive 100% of expected funding.
Indiana schools hoping to avoid lawsuits as they reopen
If schools choose to reopen knowing the potential health risk, it raises an important question: How liable are school districts if a student or teacher contracts COVID-19?
Five takeaways from Indiana’s schools chief on reopening
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick addressed the media Thursday by video to answer some of the biggest questions about schools reopening.
Indiana teachers union supports national threat to strike over unsafe reopenings
The union—which statewide represents around 4,500 educators and school support staff—made its call for schools to open only if coronavirus cases are under control and schools have the needed safeguards.
COVID-19 reshapes back-to-school spending
The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, predicts record back-to-school spending this year, but other retail experts foresee big cutbacks.