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Virtual public school holds Wednesday information session

June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A free information session to learn about a free, virtual K-12 school will meet Wednesday evening in Fort Wayne.

Indiana Connections Academy, a statewide, fully accredited, online public school, recently announced it would expand to serve students from kindergarten through 12th grades. The academy is hosting free information sessions in Fort Wayne this summer for parents and students, the first of which takes place tonight from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Fort Wayne Marriott, 305 E. Washington Center Rd.

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Indiana enacts most expansive school voucher program in the US

June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One of the two new bills, HEA 1003, will provide tuition vouchers, based on a sliding scale fee, for students to attend private or parochial schools of their choice. Families of four, earning up to $62,000, are eligible for some level of scholarship, making this the most expansive voucher system in the nation; 60 percent of Indiana residents will be eligible for the program.

The other bill, HEA 1002, creates a new state charter school board designed to open more charter schools, allows public schools to convert to charters under certain conditions, increases funding for virtual charter schools, and allows charter schools to move into closed public school facilities.

Indiana joins a growing number of states diverting public money from traditional public education to subsidize private schools. Many of these institutions have narrow admissions policies and oftentimes few to no credentials.

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Daleville to sponsor virtual charter school

May 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

DALEVILLE — The Daleville Community School Board on May 23 voted to sponsor a virtual charter school.

Thanks in part to Daleville Elementary School Principal David Stashevsky’s outside work as an educational consultant, Daleville officials were approached by Indiana Virtual, a virtual charter school that hopes to start up statewide for the 2011-12 school year. Rather than wait for a new board appointed by the Indiana Department of Education — another recent addition to charter school law — to sponsor it, the virtual school organizers hoped to find a school district as a sponsor.

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EDITORIAL: What’s in a name The Issue: Plaza becomes prep academy.

May 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We have the Randall Shepard Academy, a two-year program for special studies in law and social justice located within Harrison High School. There is the Medical Professions Academy, designed to prepare students for study in the health care field. It is located within Central High School. We have the Early College High School, the EVSC Virtual Academy, the New Tech Institute and the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Institute.

The name of the Academy for Innovative Studies is relatively new, but the concept isn’t. The EVSC has offered innovative programs for children who do not function well in traditional classroom settings for years.

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Nine candidates square off in Indiana Area

May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Based on what she has studied, Baker said the school alignment “saving the most” would be three elementary schools of nearly equal enrollment.

“Through that, class sizes would remain manageable while giving the district the ability to save educational programs,” she said. “I would like to have a plan in place so the community understands what is happening and has time to adjust to the changes.”

Baker said planning and implementation of the movement of sixth- and ninth-grade students into the junior and senior high, respectively, will be the district’s primary focus for next school year. She would also like to see the district take care of the deferred needs of buildings and consider starting a cyber school.

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Governor signs vouchers, charter school bills into law

May 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

INDIANAPOLIS | With the stroke of a pen Thursday, Gov. Mitch Daniels ushered in a new era for education in Indiana.

The charter school legislation makes most Indiana private colleges eligible to sponsor charter schools, increases funding for online virtual charter schools and enables charter schools to take over unused buildings owned by a traditional public school.

State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, was one of about 35 state lawmakers in attendance Thursday. He said he voted for both new laws because he believes state education money ought to follow the child.

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Some thrilled, some concerned after sweeping education changes

May 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Indiana General Assembly, dominated by Republicans this session, delivered legislation that will bring major changes to K-12 education in Indiana and reflect an education-reform agenda set out by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. In addition to overhauling the funding formula for how education dollars are divided up among state’s nearly 300 schools districts, the legislature also approved other sweeping changes. They include:

n Charter school expansion: Indiana currently has 62 publicly funded charter schools, which operate independently from school districts. Their numbers could soon expand under legislation that establishes a statewide charter school board to sponsor new charter schools. It also expands charter-school sponsors to include the 30 private, non-profit four-year colleges in Indiana. Funding for online and virtual schools is also increased.

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House OKs voucher, charter bills

April 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The House also voted 61-37 Wednesday to approve a bill meant to greatly expand charter schools in the state. All Republicans and one Indianapolis Democrat voted for the bill.

House Bill 1002 establishes a statewide charter school board that can sponsor new charter schools. It also allows 30 private, non-profit four-year colleges to sponsor charters. Currently, only the mayor of Indianapolis and six public universities are able to do so.

The bill also increases funding for online or virtual charter schools and requires charters to participate more in the accountability law.

“It gives more families options,” House Republican Speaker Brian Bosma said. “It’s a great step forward in that regard.”

But Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, said it siphons money from struggling public schools.

“The honest truth is you’re not going to get that many exceptional outcomes in this, and you are going to do it at the risk of damaging traditional public schools,” Pierce said. “It’s a zero-sum game.”

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Indiana House passes charter legislation

April 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

INDIANAPOLIS — The House passed legislation Wednesday that is meant to expand the number of charter schools in Indiana so that more students have an alternative to their home districts.

House Bill 1002 would expand the number of organizations that can authorize the schools and make it easier for them to start up. It also boosts funding for so-called virtual charters, which provide instruction primarily online.

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GUEST COMMENTARY: Public virtual schools: A view from within

April 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I have dedicated my career to public education, and today I am thrilled to be part of a form of public education that’s transforming lives: Indiana Connections Academy-Virtual Pilot School.

Indiana has started to answer the call from thousands of parents and students in the state who are looking for another public school option. Our school’s enrollment is at capacity, and we have maintained an extensive waiting list since August.

Students come to us for a variety of reasons — we provide full-time educational services to students with autism, cystic fibrosis, cancer and chronic pain disease. We also serve an Olympics-bound diver and students whose brick-and-mortar school was simply not a good fit.

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