Rep. Bob Behning

Requires each school corporation to publish on the school corporation's website the graduation rate for each high school in the school corporation. Amends the definition of "graduation" for purposes of the high school graduation rate determination. Provides that credit for an algebra course earned under certain conditions must count toward the credit requirements for an academic honors diploma. Allows a school corporation to adopt a policy concerning dress code or distractive behavior.

Requires the department of education to, not later than November 1, 2023, do the following: (1) Create a list of personal liability insurers that offer personal liability insurance policies for teachers. (2) Post the list on the department's website. Provides that the academic standards committee appointed by the secretary of education must include employers (in addition to other members under current law). Provides that a school psychologist may provide services on a private basis to an individual if the school psychologist receives a referral from the individual's parent and the individual is an unemancipated minor.

Requires each school corporation to publish on the school corporation's website the graduation rate for each high school in the school corporation. Amends the: (1) definition of "graduation" for the high school graduation rate determination; and (2) graduation rate calculation. Allows charter schools and nonpublic schools to issue an adjunct teacher permit to certain individuals. Provides that an individual who holds an adjunct teacher permit may teach in a career and technical education content area in which the school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school allows the individual to teach based on the individual's experience. Requires the state board of education (state board) to: (1) develop algebra I, algebra II, and geometry courses that include real world application and project based and inquiry based learning; and (2) implement the courses not later than the 2025-2026 school year. Provides that, if the state board establishes an Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery as a graduation pathway, the state board shall require a student who elects the pathway to submit documentation that demonstrates the student's intent to enlist in the military as a condition of meeting the pathway requirements. Requires the state board to, not later than July 1, 2023, review and update any guidance issued by the state board regarding the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery as a graduation pathway requirement. Provides that a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school may not require a student enrolled in the school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school to participate in any particular graduation pathway to be eligible to graduate. Removes a provision that provides that not more than 1% of students of a cohort may receive an alternate diploma. Provides that, for purposes of determining a school's or school corporation's graduation rate, not more than one percent of a school's or school corporation's graduation cohort that receives an alternate diploma may be counted as having graduated. Removes a requirement that a school corporation record or include certain immunization information in the official high school transcript for a high school student. Removes a provision that allows a school corporation to include additional information on a student's high school transcript. Provides that any notification or materials provided or distributed by the Indiana department of health or a school to a parent of a student regarding required or recommended immunizations for the student must clearly delineate or label immunizations that are required and immunizations that are only recommended. Provides that the department of education shall develop a proposal for a revised school performance designation not later than December 1, 2024.

Authorizes a county fiscal body to adopt an ordinance to provide a credit against property tax liability for qualified individuals. Defines a "qualified individual" for purposes of the credit. Provides that the ordinance may designate: (1) all of the territory of the county; or (2) one or more specific geographic territories within the county; as a neighborhood enhancement district in which qualified individuals may apply for the credit. Provides that the amount of the credit in a particular year is equal to the amount by which an individual's property tax liability increases by more than the percentage of increase specified by the county fiscal body from the prior year. Provides that the credit does not affect the allocation of taxes to a referendum fund. Requires a qualified individual who desires to claim the credit to file a certified statement with the county auditor. Provides that the county auditor shall apply the credit in succeeding years after the certified statement is filed unless the auditor determines that the individual is no longer eligible for the credit or the county fiscal body rescinds the ordinance. Provides a penalty for wrongly receiving the credit that is the same as the penalty for wrongly receiving the homestead standard deduction. Provides that an individual may not receive both a county option circuit breaker tax credit and an over 65 property tax credit in the same year. Provides that an ordinance must specify that the credit does not apply for property taxes first due and payable after December 31, 2027. Sunsets the county option on January 1, 2028.

Requires a school corporation, charter school, or nonpublic school to consider using a more comprehensive expanded criminal history background check for employment. Repeals current law concerning a school corporation or charter school's employment of, or contracting with, certain individuals, and establishes a new section that: (1) prohibits a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school from employing or contracting with specified individuals; (2) after June 30, 2023, allows a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school to employ or contract with certain other individuals with a majority vote of the school board, or the equivalent for a charter school, or with a notification of the appointing authority. Specifies that "misconduct" includes certain specified acts. Requires a school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school that receives a reference request from another school to disclose specified incidents to the requesting school. Makes conforming changes.

Increases the annual scholarship amount that the commission for higher education (commission) may award under the next generation Hoosier educators scholarship program from $7,500 to $10,000. Removes limits on the number of next generation Hoosier educators scholarships that may be awarded. Establishes the next generation Hoosier minority educators scholarship program and fund. Provides that the commission may award a next generation Hoosier minority educators scholarship to an eligible applicant in an amount of $10,000 each academic year for not more than four academic years. Establishes criteria an applicant must meet and terms an applicant must agree to in order to receive a next generation Hoosier minority educators scholarship. Increases the annual scholarship amount that an Earline S. Rogers student teaching scholarship for minority students recipient may receive from $4,000 to $5,000.

Congratulating Vice Admiral Sean Buck on his retirement from the United States Navy.

Requires (rather than permits) the department of education to include in a contract with a statewide assessment vendor entered into or renewed after June 30, 2023, a requirement that the vendor provide a summary of a student's statewide assessment results. Makes a conforming change and a technical correction.

Requires all students, except for students at certain nonpublic schools, in the student's senior year to complete and submit the FAFSA not later than April 15 unless: (1) a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an emancipated minor, signs a waiver that the student understands what the FAFSA is and declines to complete it; or (2) the principal or school counselor of the student's high school waives the requirement for a group of students due to the principal or school counselor being unable to reach the parents or guardians of the students by April 15 after at least two reasonable attempts to contact the parents or guardians. Requires that the: (1) model notice prepared by the commission for higher education; and (2) notice that each school corporation is required to send regarding the FAFSA; include information regarding the requirements and exceptions for completing the FAFSA. Expires certain requirements on June 30, 2033. Makes a conforming change and technical corrections.

Recouples the state earned income tax credit qualifications with the federal earned income tax credit qualifications under the Internal Revenue Code as in effect January 1, 2023. Increases the state earned income tax credit to an amount equal to 12% (instead of 10%) of the federal earned income tax credit that an individual claimed for a taxable year.