Bills to Be Heard by the House Education Committee on Thursday, 2/16/17 at 8:30am.

These bills are the bills the committee did not get to or resolve on Tuesday. HB 1384 was suppose to get a hearing last week, but didn't. 

HB1130 Protections for student journalists. Provides freedom of speech and freedom of press protections for kindergarten through grade 12 and state educational institution student journalists. Requires school corporations and state educational institutions to adopt policies concerning student journalist protections. Provides that a public school, school corporation, or state educational institution may not suppress school sponsored media unless the content is libelous or slanderous.

At the moment ICPE does not have a position on this bill.

HB1383 Elementary school teachers. Requires the state board of education to adopt rules to require an elementary school teacher who initially receives a license under this chapter after June 30, 2021, to specialize in a specific content area. Provides that the department of education may not issue a general education elementary school teaching license to an individual who initially applies for a license after June 30, 2021.

One should ask, why would a general elementary education teacher need to specialize in a single subject? What is the benefit?  

HB1384 High school graduation. Changes the definition of "graduation" for the high school graduation rate determination by specifying that students receiving a Core 40 diploma, a technical honors diploma, or an academic honors diploma are counted as graduates. Provides, for purposes of calculating a school's graduation rate, that in the case of a high school student who has not attended the same school within the school corporation for at least 90% of a school year and has exited high school without a regular high school diploma and without transferring to another high school that grants a regular high school diploma during such school year, the department of education shall assign the student to the high school at which the student was enrolled for the greatest proportion of school days while enrolled in grades 9 through 12. Requires the state board to include student mobility rates for purposes of calculating a school's category or designation of school improvement.

While ICPE does not have a formal opinion, many local parents are concerned about the general diploma not being included in the initial version of the bill. The bill further goes on to create other provisions about calculating a graduation rate for students who don’t attend a high school full time.

The Arc of Indiana strongly opposes this bill as it removes many students who receive special education services and earn a general diploma from the graduation rate. We need to make sure that every student counts. Students who earn a diploma should be counted as graduating.

Federal law permits the general diploma and Indiana currently reports graduation rates based on the federal definition. Why would we begin to purposely decrease graduation rates and exclude those students who earn a general diploma? We want to continue to push schools to set high standards for students but for students who cannot satisfy the requirements for a Core 40 or Honors diploma, they should be allowed to earn a general diploma if they satisfy those requirements and should be counted as graduating.

For any student to be told that they don’t count is shameful. For students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), if they attain the education goals outlined, they deserve to earn that diploma and be counted as a high school graduate.

It has been rumored that the version of the bill to be heard today will include the general diploma, but the online digest does not include any amendment to indicate this. 

Please contact Rep. Behning and urge him that ALL students should count who earn a recognized diploma. To not count students who earn a general diploma sends a message that only certain students count and education for these students will be diminished.

Contact all members of the education committee today! Call: (317)232-9600 or (800)382-9842 or email:
Chairman Bob Behning h91@iga.in.gov
Rep. Tony Cook h32@iga.in.gov
Rep. Woody Burton h58@iga.in.gov
Rep. Ed Clere h72@iga.in.gov
Rep. Dale DeVon h5@iga.in.gov
Rep. Jack Jordan h17@iga.in.gov
Rep. Vernon Smith h14@iga.in.gov
Rep. Ed DeLaney h86@iga.in.gov, ed@delaneylaw.net
Rep. Sue Errington h34@iga.in.gov, errington@comcast.net
Rep. Sheila Klinker h27@iga.in.gov

HB1449 Teacher induction pilot program. Makes changes to who may submit a plan to participate in the career pathways and mentorship program. Establishes the Indiana new educator induction program (program) to give new teachers, principals, and administrators mentoring support. Provides that grants for the program may be made from the system for teacher and student advancement grant fund. Provides that, not later than July 1, 2018, and each July thereafter, the state board of education shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly regarding the status of the program. Provides that the program expires July 1, 2027. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate study committee for study during the 2017 legislative interim the topic of whether it is appropriate to require teachers to participate in a new educator induction program before being eligible to receive a practitioner license.

At the moment ICPE does not have a position on this bill.

More details on these bills can be found here.