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.
Public schools
Articles
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.
Indiana struggling with change for dual-credit teachers
Todd Bess, executive director of Indiana Association of School Principals, said he's heard from some school leaders that up to 90 percent of their teachers wouldn't meet the new standard.
IPS board votes to close Key school, OKs school-autonomy plan
Indianapolis Public Schools board members voted Thursday to shut down the groundbreaking Key Learning Community while approving a plan that would move IPS schools toward more autonomy.
New study finds no teacher shortage in Indiana
The study, released Wednesday by Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research, found there was actually an excess supply of teachers in the state.
Lawmakers endorse steps to tackle potential teacher shortfall
A legislative study committee recommended a series of steps Monday that would whittle away at the authority of teacher unions while attempting to address Indiana's shrinking number of new teachers.
Top Indiana school issues headed for Statehouse debates
State leaders will tackle questions about a possible teacher shortage and work on politically-charged questions about ISTEP.
IPS seeks board’s blessing for school freedom strategy
The Indianapolis School Board expects to vote next week on a “framework” for shifting the district toward a system with more freedom for principals and schools over the next three years.
IPS board to consider closing Key Learning Academy
The Indianapolis Public School Board still must vote on a recommendation to shut it down, but board members seemed to share administrators’ views that Key was no longer working.
Board delays vote on setting ISTEP passing rate
State Board of Education spokesman Marc Lotter blamed that delay on a Department of Education report provided Tuesday night raising questions about potential differences in difficulty between the online and paper versions of the test.
Recommendation would slash ISTEP passing rates
The State Board of Education is poised to vote on a recommendation from educator panels that would reduce ISTEP passing rates about 16 percentage points in English and 24 percentage points in math, compared with 2014.
Herron targets historic armory on White River for new high school
Herron High School hopes to raise enough money to turn an abandoned armory in Indianapolis into a new high school, according to Indiana Landmarks, which is trying to save the property.
U.S. asks Indiana education agency for data on poverty funds
Federal officials expressed that it is possible that both charter and traditional public schools may have received an excess allocation of federal dollars, the Indiana Department of Education said.
State plans to comply after errors found in charter funding
The Indiana Department of Education says it will comply with rules governing the distribution of poverty aid after federal education officials notified the state late last week that its approach was “inconsistent with the statute and regulations.”