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 […]
Education
Posted inEducation
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 […]
Posted inEducation, Partner Content
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, […]
Posted inEducation
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 […]
Posted inEducation, Partner Content
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 […]
Posted inEducation
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 […]
Posted inEducation
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 […]
Posted inEducation
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 […]
Posted inEducation
Q&A: The Role of Race in the Gary School Takeover
Gary public schools have been under state control for six years, drawing criticism and raising questions from both the community and civic officials. With an appointed school board poised to take the wheel next year, the current state of affairs warrants a deeper examination of how a predominantly Black community functions under the control of […]
Posted inEducation
Was It Worth It? Evaluating the Impact of Indiana’s Takeover of Gary Schools.
The atmosphere inside the Gary Area Career Center was thick with anticipation that evening. Nearly 100 residents, parents, and educators filled the room on Oct. 24, eyes fixed on Emergency Manager Mike Raisor of MGT Consulting, the contractor Indiana chose to run Gary’s public school system when the state took it over in 2017. The […]