Requires the state board of education (state board) to: (1) establish a compilation of longitudinal data indicating school performance success in various selected and enumerated program areas; and (2) present the data for each school in a manner that is commonly known as an Internet dashboard. Requires each school to post on a web page maintained on the school's Internet web site the exact same data and in a similar format as the data presented for the school on the state board's Internet web site. Allows a school to include custom indicators on the school's web page. Provides that the performance of a school's students on the statewide assessment program test and other criterion referenced benchmark assessments recommended by the department of education (department) and approved by the state board are the primary and majority means of assessing a school's improvement. (Current law provides that the performance of a school's students on the statewide assessment program test and other assessments recommended by the department and approved by the state board are the primary and majority means of assessing a school's improvement.) Provides that the state board may assign each domain, indicator, or measure used to assess school performance a separate and distinct category or designation. Provides that the state board shall assign to a school or school corporation (including adult high schools) a "null" or "no letter grade" for the 2020-2021 school year. Requires each governing body of a school corporation and the equivalent for each charter school to submit to the department a report that includes certain information regarding instruction during the 2020-2021 school year and the 2021-2022 school year. Requires the department to do the following: (1) Conduct, in collaboration with the state board, a learning loss study regarding students in kindergarten through grade 10. (2) Prepare a report regarding the 2020-2021 school year and a report regarding the 2021-2022 school year that includes the submitted information and the study by the department. (3) Not later than December 1, 2021, and not later than December 1, 2022, submit the applicable reports to the governor, state board, and legislative council. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate study committee for the 2022 interim and the 2023 interim the task of studying the information in the reports. Amends requirements that a benchmark, formative, interim, or similar assessment must meet for approval by the state board. Provides that before the state board may approve a benchmark, formative, interim, or similar assessment, the assessment vendor must enter into a data share agreement with the department. Repeals provisions that: (1) provide consequences for failing schools; (2) provide consequences for failing charter schools or choice scholarship schools; and (3) authorize the establishment of turnaround academies.
Rep. Bob Behning
Sponsored bills
Provides that before a governing body may sell, exchange, lease, demolish, hold without operating, or dispose of a school building, the governing body shall: (1) obtain a certification from the attorney general's office; and (2) make the building available for lease or purchase by a charter school or state educational institution. Provides that before a governing body may sell, exchange, lease, demolish, hold without operating, or dispose of a school building, the governing body must receive a certification from the attorney general to ensure that the governing body is in compliance with requirements for making a vacant school building available for sale or lease to a charter school or state educational institution for $1. Requires the attorney general to investigate complaints that a school corporation has not complied with the requirements for making a vacant school building available for sale or lease to a charter school or state educational institution for $1. Provides that, in the event that a complaint is substantiated, the attorney general, in consultation with the department of education (department) and Indiana state board of education (state board), is authorized to take any action necessary to remedy a substantiated complaint, which may include actions to be performed by the state board or the department to ensure compliance of a school corporation. Provides that, if a school corporation does not comply with the requirements to sell a vacant school building, as determined by the attorney general, the school corporation shall submit any proceeds from the sale of the vacant school building to the state board. Provides that the state board shall distribute proceeds collected equally between each charter school located in the attendance area of the school corporation. Provides that, if no charter schools are located in the attendance area, the state board must use the proceeds to provide grants under the charter school and innovation grant program. Provides that a lease of school property entered into by a governing body prior to January 1, 2019, with a state accredited nonpublic school shall remain in full force and effect. (Current law provides that a lease of school property entered into by a governing body prior to July 1, 2019, with a state accredited nonpublic school shall remain in full force and effect.) Provides that a school corporation is responsible for maintaining a vacant school building until it is: (1) sold or leased to a charter school or state educational institution; (2) sold to an accredited nonpublic school or postsecondary educational institution other than a state educational institution; or (3) eligible to be sold or otherwise disposed.
Makes various changes to the course access program (program) provisions, including the following: (1) Requires the state board of education (state board) to establish certain requirements regarding the program. (2) Establishes the duties of the state board and the department of education (department) regarding the program. (3) Establishes notification requirements for a school corporation regarding an eligible student who submits a request to enroll in a course access program course. (4) Amends a provision that establishes the reasons for which a school corporation may deny an eligible student's enrollment. (5) Provides that a school corporation may be authorized as a course provider if the school corporation meets the requirements for authorization. (6) Allows a course provider to appeal a denial to the state board. (7) Requires the department to approve a civics course access program course that meets certain requirements. (8) Provides that: (A) a school corporation that is an authorized course provider shall provide to the department and post on the school corporation's Internet web site certain information regarding open slots in an online course access program course; and (B) the department shall post the information for each school corporation on the department's Internet web site.
Requires the Indiana management performance hub to: (1) use its data resources and technology to cross-reference with data bases of certain state agencies to identify certain former students with disabilities (eligible individuals); (2) coordinate with the state department of health to determine whether identified eligible individuals are deceased; and (3) provide the information concerning eligible individuals to the department of workforce development (DWD). Requires the state department of health to, not later than November 1, 2021, coordinate with the Indiana management performance hub. Requires the DWD to: (1) communicate with identified eligible individuals; and (2) provide to the eligible individuals a copy of a resource list concerning training and education opportunities and employment services resources. Requires the state advisory council on the education of children with disabilities (council) to annually update and submit the resource list to the department of education and the DWD. Requires the department of education and DWD to post a copy of the most recently updated resource list on the department's and DWD's Internet web sites. Requires the DWD, in consultation with the department of education, to prepare and submit an annual report to the general assembly and the council. Requires the state board of education to, not later than December 1, 2021, adopt rules to create an alternate diploma for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Requires the department of education (department) to provide an initial practitioner license to an individual that competes an alternative teacher certification program. Requires the individual to complete a one year clinical experience program. Provides that the individual may not teach a special education course or be a teacher of record for a special education student. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school shall submit a plan to the department if the school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school hires one or more individuals who have received an initial practitioner license. Requires a teacher preparation program to include curriculum that instructs teachers about social emotional learning practices that are helpful in supporting students who have experienced trauma. Mandates that a teacher preparation program consider training teachers on evidence based social emotional learning practices that are consistent with the state's social emotional learning competencies established by the department of education. Makes conforming changes.
Provides that a school employee has the right to resign from, and end any financial obligation to, a school employee organization at any time. Provides that a school employee must annually authorize a pay deduction to a school employee organization. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the Indiana education employment relations board (board) shall prescribe an authorization for withholding form for use by a school employee to deduct dues from the pay of the school employee to the school employee organization. Adds certain requirements for information to be included on the form. Provides that after receiving the authorization for withholding form, the employer shall confirm the authorization by sending an electronic mail message to the school employee at the employee's school provided work electronic mail address and shall wait for confirmation of the authorization before starting any deduction. Specifies the time frame for (1) ceasing withholding upon receipt of a request, and (2) providing notice to the school employee organization. Provides that a school employer shall annually provide, at a time it prescribes, written or electronic mail notification to its school employees of their right to cease payment of school employee organization dues and to withdraw from that organization. Specifies what the notification must include. Provides that the attorney general, in consultation with the board and the department of education, must annually provide notice to school employers of certain provisions.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION recognizing Hoosier Direct Support Professionals.
Changes the eligibility requirements for the next generation Hoosier educators scholarship and provides that a student may qualify for the scholarship by achieving a cumulative grade point average upon graduation of at least a 3.5 on a 4.0 grading scale during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Requires the commission for higher education to give priority to an individual who is: (1) a recent high school graduate; (2) pursuing a teacher shortage area; (3) showing significant financial need; or (4) a member of a household with an annual income of not more than the amount required for the individual to qualify for the free or reduced price lunch program as determined for the immediately preceding taxable year. Provides that the National Guard tuition supplement program may be used by a scholarship applicant for graduate credits.
Requires the department of education to establish a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion incentive pilot program. Provides requirements for a school corporation to receive a FAFSA completion incentive award. Provides a formula to determine the amount of a school corporation's FAFSA completion incentive award.
Provides that the governor's workforce cabinet may establish a course catalog that shall list all: (1) work based learning, preapprenticeship, and apprenticeship opportunities in Indiana; and (2) providers that are eligible to receive high value workforce ready grants. Provides that a high school may replace certain high school courses on the high school transcript with alternative courses in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) in order to satisfy an Indiana diploma with a Core 40 with academic honors designation or another designation requirement.