Families filled the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts on Friday night for a show put together by young people that featured artwork from teens and young adults across Gary and Northwest Indiana during Black History Month. Called Colors of Culture, the exhibition was created to give Black youth a place to show their […]
Education
Posted inEducation, Partner Content, Politics & Policy, State Government
From Cellphones to STEM: What Indiana Lawmakers Are Debating in 2026
This story was originally published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Stricter cellphone bans, more focus on STEM and increased school “efficiency” are shaping up as some of the highest-priority education debates Indiana lawmakers will tackle during a fast 2026 legislative session that starts back up next week. The session will be shorter than usual — […]
Posted inEducation
Gary Students Get a New Route to Tuition-Free College at IUN
As college applications start to roll in for students, the question of how to pay for it is something every parent and student worries about. But through a new Gary partnership, that’s a question some students may no longer have to worry about. The initiative, a partnership with Hard Rock Casino, the Urban League of […]
Posted inEducation, Local Government, Public Meetings
October 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
With the city’s proposed 2026 budget heading to a public hearing on Oct. 7 and a final adoption set for Oct. 21, residents will have a brief window to voice their priorities. This year’s process is under greater scrutiny as Gary faces tightening property tax revenues and less flexibility in American Rescue Plan Act-backed spending. […]
Posted inEducation
These ‘Floating Classrooms’ Bring Nature and Community Together in Gary
On the serene, undisturbed waters of Marquette Lagoon, nearly 20 people geared up for the annual Canoemobile Voyage. Four canoes filled with kids and adults pushed off from the shore. Participants quickly settled into a rhythm: left, splash; right, splash. Over and over, they traversed the transparent lagoon, framed by tall grasses, shimmering waters, and […]
Posted inEducation, Politics & Policy
Gary Wins $800K Grant as Funding Changes Loom
At Thursday night’s Gary Community School Corporation board meeting, district leaders shared news that brought both celebration and concern, highlighting the complicated road ahead for the city’s public schools. Renita Craig, director of curriculum and assessment, announced that Gary schools have secured an $800,000 Next Generation School Improvement Grant from the Indiana Department of Education. […]
Posted inEducation
Virtual Teachers Spark Community Outrage in Gary; Union Cites Unfair Labor Practices
Members of the Gary Teachers Union and concerned residents filled the union office for a standing-room-only meeting Thursday to discuss the Gary Community School Corporation’s decision to enlist virtual teachers amid a nationwide teacher shortage. On July 9, the Gary School Board voted to retain Proximity, a company based in Austin, Texas, to supply up […]
Posted inCommunity, Education
Gary’s Back-to-School Events: Free Supplies and Resources
As summer comes to a close and parents eagerly await the first ring of the school bell, multiple locations around Gary are hosting back-to-school events to alleviate concerns. The Gary School Corp. welcomes staff back on Aug. 1, and students return to school on Aug. 7. “Class is in session, and this lesson is all […]
Posted inEducation, Partner Content, Politics & Policy
Money for Indiana After-School Programs, Professional Development in Limbo After Trump Freeze
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. An estimated $107 million in federal funds to support after-school programs, academic enrichment, English language learners, and more in Indiana are in limbo following a decision by the Trump administration to withhold the funding as it completes a program review. States […]
Posted inEducation, Youth
Pre-K Access Shrinks in Lake County and Gary as State Cuts Budget
Lake County families are bracing for the fallout of major cuts to Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K, the state’s first full-scale preschool program for low-income 4-year-olds, which advocates warn could severely limit access to early childhood education in communities already struggling with inequity. The program allows families to use state vouchers at participating public and […]