Aleksandra Appleton
Reporter, Chalkbeat Indiana
Aleksandra Appleton is a Reporter for Chalkbeat Indiana. She previously reported on schools in Las Vegas and Fresno, California, where she grew up. Aleks is a graduate of UC San Diego and the Columbia School of Journalism.
Similar proposals have been brought in past legislative sessions without success.
Lawmakers made some changes, including allowing schools to host joint career fairs, to meet the bill’s requirements.
Supporters say school choice bill would give parents more power, while critics say it would take funds from public schools.
High schoolers beginning with the Class of 2028 would be required to take the class under an Indiana Senate bill.
This year’s proposal would affect state colleges and universities as well as K-12 schools.
The Indiana bills are similar to a Florida law referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Fourth grade math teacher Angela Fowler of Indiana was recently awarded the Milken Educator Award for her work.
GOP lawmakers say their proposal would address employee shortages in local businesses.
Indiana bill would require teachers and schools to report student requests to change names, pronouns
Lawmakers don’t seem interested in revisiting last year’s battle over what students should learn about race and racism.
The bill would establish savings accounts for vocational training, and require high schools to hold career fairs.
A free college program and solutions for staffing issues also rank high among education groups’ priorities.
Other bills would require new curriculum in cursive and internet safety.
Holcomb has also proposed eliminating textbook fees for Hoosier families.
Indiana has turned to tutoring as a solution to students’ struggles following COVID.
Indiana’s English learner population has increased by 52% over the last five years.
District leaders said the pathways could be replicated at schools around the state.
The dashboard could replace Indiana’s current measure of school performance: the A-F grading system.
Teachers who oversee English learners’ language development are critically needed in Indiana.
Republican leaders have said they expect to increase funding for K-12 schools while also expanding school choice.
House Republicans want to reinvent high school to let students receive credit for working.
This election season saw several newcomer candidates challenge incumbents who had supported Indiana’s curriculum restrictions bill.
Indiana reported an 8.5 percentage point drop in reading scores on state tests among third graders learning English.
Teachers don’t have enough time to teach the long list of current standards, proponents have argued, meaning students miss critical knowledge.
New tutoring programs also aim to be more accessible by covering the costs.
Some candidates motivated to run by the unsuccessful curriculum bill worry it will make a comeback next year.
Lawmakers this year expanded a ban on offering an incentive to enroll at schools in Indiana.
Funding for schools with fewer students who live in poverty has increased faster than funding for schools with more such students, one group said.
The new tutoring grant is available to fourth and fifth graders who qualify for federally subsidized meals and scored below proficiency on state tests.
A big issue for board members will be overseeing a $154 million referendum that pays for teachers and STEM programming.
A district of around 6,700 students in southwest Marion County, Decatur reported some staffing challenges earlier this year.