Aleksandra Appleton

Career-focused graduation pathway for English learners takes root in Indy

As the number of English language learners grows in the state, Perry Township tries a new diploma track.... Read More

IREAD results show little change in students’ reading scores

Indiana students’ reading scores have been virtually unchanged for three years, according to new test data, underscoring fears about students’ struggles to recover from the pandemic. More than four out of five third graders passed the IREAD exam in 2023.... Read More

National group revises grade for Ball State teacher prep program

A group that produced a report on the quality of reading instruction programs at teachers colleges nationwide has revised its score for Ball State University from a failing grade to an A. ... Read More

After slow start, some schools begin hiring adjunct professors

Adjuncts aren’t licensed by the state and instead need to have four years of relevant experience and pass a background check.... Read More

ILEARN scores show students improving in math, stagnating in reading

Indiana’s statewide testing scores stagnated this year as students faced an uneven academic recovery, with gains in math proficiency and declines in English. Around 30.6% of students in grades 3-8 statewide scored proficient or better in both the...... Read More

Indiana families will no longer be charged textbooks fees. Here’s what to expect.

Beginning this school year, after a law passed in the 2023 legislative session, all Indiana schools will be required to follow the district’s example and stop charging families for curricular materials, including textbooks, iPads, and Chromebooks. ... Read More

New reading mandates could create challenges for teacher prep programs

By 2025, new teachers will be required to demonstrate their proficiency in the science of reading — a term for a wide body of research that emphasizes phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness in reading instruction. And programs risk losing their right to call themselves “accredited” if their curriculums aren’t based in reading science by 2024. ... Read More

Indiana cuts number of academic standards; new statewide test coming

Some board members said the state didn’t cut enough, especially in the earliest grades.... Read More

Lawmakers to discuss bill similar to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law

Indiana House lawmakers are scheduled to hold their first discussion Monday of a bill that closely resembles a Florida law banning the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in early grades. ... Read More

Legislation would require districts to share property tax revenue

A long-awaited bill to require Indiana school districts to share property tax dollars with charter schools has attracted attention and scrutiny from groups that disagree about which schools should benefit from public funding.... Read More