INDIANA NEWS SERVICE - Indiana is rolling out a series of new education laws aimed at helping students succeed in and beyond the classroom.
The changes affect everything from attendance and academics to teacher pay and cybersecurity.
Tami Silverman, president and CEO of the nonprofit Indiana Youth Institute, said lawmakers responded to schools' concerns about chronic absenteeism.
"It was exciting to see that the legislature was really listening to the
schools," Silverman explained. "Because we've heard, and schools have
said repeatedly, that chronic absenteeism continues to be an issue."
New laws require schools to clearly define excused absences, publish
attendance policies and offer better student support. High schoolers can
now earn an Enrollment Honors Plus seal, combining academics, life
skills and work experience. Students who earn it will be guaranteed
admission to Indiana's public colleges.
Some educators said the new requirements may strain already limited
school resources, especially in smaller districts that face staffing or
funding challenges.
Silverman noted the changes are designed to help more students succeed,
by doing such things as streamlining applications for college admission,
military financial aid and paid internship programs.
"This is really exciting because we do know that sometimes those
application processes can be a barrier," Silverman observed. "We want to
remove those by setting kids up for success in high school."
Other laws raise the minimum teacher salary to $45,000 dollars, expand
access to paid internships and require math screenings in early grades.
Cybersecurity upgrades will be phased in by 2027.
Joe Ulery wrote this article.
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