Monday, August 7, 2023
Indiana students will have access to more educational opportunities as they return to school this year thanks to several measures Senate Republicans supported during the 2023 legislative session.
The new state budget allocates 47% of the General Fund to K-12 education initiatives including eliminating textbook and technology fees and increasing funding for the Indiana Secured School Safety Grant program.
In 2022, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) reported nearly one in five Hoosier third graders were not reading at their grade level during the 2021-22 school year.
House Enrolled Act 1558 requires the Indiana State Board of Education and IDOE to produce and present a report on Science of Reading concepts in the IREAD standardized test.
It also allows IDOE direct preparation programs for accredited educators to teach the Science of Reading.
House Enrolled Act 1638 establishes a Science of Reading grant fund, which allows Hoosier school corporations to deploy literacy coaches and implement Science of Reading curriculum in elementary classrooms.
Senate Republicans also opened avenues for Hoosiers to better understand their post-secondary education options.
With the passage of House Enrolled Act 1449, all eligible students in Indiana are now automatically enrolled in the 21st Century Scholars program. This program gives students who meet eligibility requirements a two- or four-year scholarship that covers the cost of tuition at eligible Indiana colleges or universities.
Senate Enrolled Act 167 also requires all Hoosier students, with exceptions, to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during their senior year of high school. The FAFSA is completed annually by current and future college students to determine financial aid eligibility.
These new initiatives will better help Hoosier students navigate a path to successful futures. To learn more about education opportunities in Indiana, click here.
