Indiana House, Senate each pass ISTEP bills
Indiana lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved bills giving teachers and schools a one-year reprieve from being punished for poor student performance on ISTEP exams.
Public schools
Articles
State awards $9.6M in grants to help avoid teacher shortages
The Indiana Commission for Higher education announced the 13 grants on Wednesday.
UPDATE: State education panel leader wants to re-score ISTEP
Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis, said he wants to hire a contractor to re-score the 2015 ISTEP test, which he calls a “disaster.” Meanwhile, the House education committee approved a measure sparing teachers from having their performance pay reduced as a result of the scores.
Lower ISTEP scores released after months-long delay
Following ongoing controversy over tougher Indiana student assessments, the Indiana Department of Education on Wednesday released long-awaited statewide and local 2015 ISTEP scores.
Pence signs on to Ritz approach to ‘pause’ sanctions
Democrats and Republicans are backing a proposal expected to be considered by the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. The bill proposes schools may not receive a lower grade for 2015 than they received in 2014.
Pence, House GOP not on same page as lawmakers return
A lack of consensus among Republicans on several issues—including questions about gay rights, transportation funding and ISTEP testing—looms large as lawmakers ready for the 2016 legislative session, which kicks off Tuesday.
Report: ‘No evidence’ that ISTEP software glitch hurt scores
Investigators found no evidence that students were given incorrect lower scores on this spring’s high-stakes ISTEP exam, according to state officials.
House leader suggests dumping ISTEP for new exam
An idea to scrap Indiana’s state standardized test in favor of an “off-the-shelf” test could make a comeback during this year’s legislative session.
Indiana asks vendor about possible problems with test scores
The Indiana Department of Education asked the company that scores the important standardized test for the number of test items and schools that may have been affected by a computer malfunction that could have caused results to be inadvertently changed.
ISTEP legislation coming after clamor over Indiana scores
House Education Committee chairman Robert Behning, an Indianapolis Republican, said he'll have a bill ready during the first weeks of the legislative session in January for a one-year suspension of ISTEP as part of teacher evaluations.
Lawmakers to consider ISTEP-related accountability
At issue this year is what to do about test-score-based school accountability measures now that the state is expecting much lower scores.
IPS considering big changes in school-funding formula
A funding plan under consideration by Indianapolis Public Schools lan could have far-reaching consequences for students and teachers across the city, with some schools coming out ahead—and others facing difficult choices.
Teacher panel calls for raises, pay for advanced degrees
A 49-member panel comprised mostly of teachers from across the state on Monday refined its recommendations for how the state should mentor, train, recruit and pay teachers.
Preliminary numbers show big plunge in school grades
While the numbers are just preliminary findings, they paint a dire picture. For example, the number of schools that received an "A'' grade plunged by more than 50 percent when compared to last year.
Indiana school leaders blasting ISTEP ahead of score release
School leaders around Indiana have been increasing criticism of the state's standardized test as they brace for the release of scores that will show a double-digit drop in passing rates for students.
Charters awarded $40M in loans from controversial state program
Indiana’s State Board of Education on Friday said it had received requests for a total of $77M in loans from 33 charter schools, exceeding the funding approved for the $50M program.
IPS teachers still waiting on promised raises
Eleven weeks after the Indianapolis Public Schools agreed to give teachers a dramatic raise—the first in five years for many of them—the teachers are still waiting.
State lawmaker floats pension alternative for new teachers
A key state lawmaker says he plans to sponsor a bill in the next legislative session that would allow new teachers to choose a retirement program similar to a 401(k) plan instead of the traditional pension system.
IPS principals getting shot at $25,000 awards
Indianapolis philanthropists Al and Kathy Hubbard are extending their Life-Changing Teacher Awards this year to principals.
Gary schools wrestling with debt as enrollment plummets
The school district has seen its enrollment drop by more than 1,000 students in the past year, to about 6,000 this fall. Enrollment stood at about 16,000 students a decade ago.