S&P threatens to downgrade Indiana school debt
Citing concern about a state statute governing debt repayment, Standard & Poor’s said that it has placed a 90-day watch on the rating for loans to all Indiana school districts.
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State lawmakers discuss expanding screening for teachers
State lawmakers are proposing legislation they say will help strengthen Indiana's system for running background checks for teachers.
Holcomb’s budget plan modestly boosts funding for Indiana schools
Democrats say it’s not enough, particularly in its failure to expand state-funded preschool to more counties.
Sullivan re-elected president on reconfigured IPS board
Mary Ann Sullivan will lead the Indianapolis Public Schools board for the second year in a row, bringing a dose of consistency to a board that begins the term with three new members.
Proposed bill will seek to make Indiana school chiefs appointed, not elected
Gov.-Elect Eric Holcomb on Thursday announced he wants to make Indiana’s elected superintendent of public instruction a governor-appointed position. House Speaker Brian Bosma is set to author the bill.
2016 NEWSMAKER: Jennifer McCormick, new state schools chief
Political newcomer Jennifer McCormick was elected Nov. 8 as state superintendent of public instruction—a surprise to many who expected Democrat Glenda Ritz to keep her seat.
Tindley Schools network taps former principal for CEO job
Kelli Marshall will permanently replace Marcus Robinson, who resigned earlier this year after questions about the financial state of the network and his lavish spending as CEO.
Indiana’s online schools fall short but are allowed to carry on
Since their start in 2009, Indiana’s online schools have grown tremendously, and enrollment now tops 11,000. But every online school in the state that tested students in 2016—including four charter schools—received an F grade.
Three IPS schools put on notice: schools could be ‘restarted,’ teachers made to reapply
The three schools were all named Monday by the district as candidates for conversion to “innovation” status following years of low test scores.
ISTA reboots after rough election
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz’s re-election loss in November was a big setback for the Indiana State Teachers Association, leading some observers to wonder how much clout the organization still holds.
State panel backs shorter ISTEP exams without saying how
The educator-dominated panel voted 21-2 in favor of recommendations to state legislators that include moving the testing period from its current March and April times into a single time span in May.
Indiana Republicans in no hurry to make state superintendent job appointed
House Speaker Brian Bosma said he’s advocated for reducing the superintendent’s power “for 30 years” but that he didn’t think he’ll make that a priority for the next legislative session beginning in January.
IPS superintendent lands bonus, even as district test scores go down
The same day the public learned that test scores fell at the vast majority of Indianapolis Public Schools, Superintendent Lewis Ferebee got a $26,999 bonus.
School referendums are passing at higher rates than before
It was a banner year for school referendums across Indiana, with all but three of the 20 ballot questions in this year’s primary and general elections turning out successfully for the districts.
IPS sees test scores drop at vast majority of schools
Scores fell across the state, but the situation was worse in IPS, where the passing rate went down by 4 percentage points to 25.3 percent in 2016.
Indiana bucks the test score trend and posts a second straight year of declines
Across the state, 51.6 percent of students in grades 3-8 passed both the math and reading test, down from 53.5 percent in 2015.
Mind Trust has big plans for Indianapolis schools—and now it needs big money
The group is seeking to raise $32 million to fund the first half of its plan, which aims to double the number of students within Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries who attend highly rated schools.
Indiana panel begins forming consensus around ISTEP exam
Members of a state panel criticized by Indiana superintendents for being slow in rolling out a replacement for the ISTEP student test said they expect to forward a detailed proposal to lawmakers by the December deadline.
Glenda Ritz leaving office with a mixed legacy
Supporters saw her as an energetic leader who wouldn’t buckle to the establishment. Opponents saw her as nothing more than a a one-hit wonder.
Incumbent Odle loses IPS board seat in stunning shakeup
Sam Odle’s loss was a significant upset for the current administration. A former top executive at Indiana University Health, Odle won his seat with a wave of reformers in 2012.