This story was originally published by the Indiana Capital Chronicle Indiana senators gave final approval for a literacy overhaul bill that will require reading-deficient third-graders to be held back a year in school. Senate Bill 1, which seeks to remedy Indiana’s literacy “crisis” by requiring schools to administer the statewide IREAD test in second grade […]
Education
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Pause on Gary Middle School Closure Decision Is Not an ‘All-Clear Signal’
Any plans to close two of Gary’s public middle schools are off — for now. Bailly STEM Academy and Gary Middle School for the Visual and Performing Arts will remain open through this school year, as the district prepares to exit a yearslong state takeover and return to local control. The Gary Community School Corporation’s […]
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Indiana’s AG Launched a Tip Line for Controversial Classroom Material
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters The Indiana attorney general has unveiled an online portal for complaints about the teaching of race, gender, and political ideology in schools — an aggressive move that raises concerns about privacy and the veracity of the material made public. The new […]
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Charter Revocation Leaves Thea Bowman Leadership Academy’s Fate in Limbo
Aisha Vinson’s ninth-grade daughter has only ever attended Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, a K-12 school in Gary. The experience there hasn’t been perfect. But Vinson said the school’s staff knows her daughter well. Vinson, who has a disability that affects her mobility, also likes that the school is nearby and easy for her to get […]
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Private School Enrollment Grew in Indiana This Year, but Vouchers Are Growing Faster
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters Private school enrollment in Indiana continued to grow steadily this school year, though the number of students using vouchers grew at a faster rate, new data from the Indiana Department of Education shows. The number of students in public schools, meanwhile, […]
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Gary’s $74 Million Proposed School Budget: Where Is the Money Going?
Attend any public meeting for the Gary Community School Corporation and at least one question will be posed about the district’s finances. Residents have wanted more clarity on how and where money is spent for years, which has only been heightened by repeated school closures and the ongoing consideration of closing two middle schools. Capital […]
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Thousands of Indiana Students Move On to Fourth Grade Without Reading Skills, Despite State Policy
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. Thousands of Indiana students advanced through elementary school without demonstrating critical reading skills, new data from the Indiana Department of Education shows, as state lawmakers consider requiring more students who struggle with reading to repeat third grade. It’s the state’s policy […]
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Breaking Down Gary Schools’ Budget for Next Year
The Gary Community School Corporation recently adopted its budget for 2024, totaling around $74 million — a slight increase from 2023’s $71.5 million budget. Next year’s budget was approved in October by the Distressed Unit Appeals Board and Mike Raisor, the district’s emergency manager, and now awaits finalization from the state. Financial struggles were the […]
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Future of Public Middle Schools Still Hangs in the Balance
Jackie Lee strolled up to a small podium, adjusted her mic, then made quick work of the three minutes she’d been given to speak: “Good evening, I’m here to oppose them closing the middle schools,” she said. Tuesday marked the first meeting with a traditional public comment section since a controversial plan to close Gary’s […]
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Gary High Schoolers Give Back With Thanksgiving Food Drive
On a row of tables draped in yellow, red, and orange tablecloths, bags of canned and boxed food awaited distribution. Students, donning gloves and shirts identifying their affiliation with Gary Area Career Center’s early childhood education or culinary arts program, stood behind the tables. It was the center’s first Thanksgiving food drive, and they were […]
