Following the close of each legislative session, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) immediately begins working to implement newly-enacted legislation impacting K-12 education, which includes compiling guidance for educators.
As you know, our work at IDOE continues to be centered around our three key pillars:
- Student learning and opportunity,
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Educator talent, quality, and value, and
- System alignment and capacity
As we develop guidance and implement the new laws outlined in this document, we will keep at the forefront the need to remain learner-centered and future-focused.
The aforementioned guidance document (also linked below) is a product of robust cross-agency collaboration and partnership with countless stakeholders. Thank you to our educators, families, education advocates, and others who played a role in developing this guidance.
Our team at IDOE will continue to update and expand this document as we work our way through the many new laws passed in 2023, and we hope this document can serve as a one-stop-shop as you work to interpret and implement the new laws applicable to your school. Any future updates will be added to this comprehensive guidance document and shared via the weekly newsletter. You might also consider bookmarking this page for convenient access.
Thank you again for making your voice heard this legislative session and for our shared work ahead to make the most out of this opportunity and implement the best work that we can for our students!
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REMINDER: Submit and Check End-of-Year Data Reports
Schools should be submitting graduates and other end-of-year reports. Check to ensure the data is validating correctly by reviewing validation errors and certification reports available in the Data Exchange validation portal. Contact the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE's) Office of Accountability with any questions.
NEW: Updated ILEARN Science Assessment Resources
IDOE released updated Indiana Future-Focused Science Standards upon approval from the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) on Wednesday, June 7. As a result, ILEARN Science assessments for grades four and six and high school biology have been updated to reflect those changes. New blueprints, item specifications, and a frequently-asked questions document for the ILEARN Science assessments can be found on IDOE’s ILEARN webpage. Sample items will be released within the Released Items Repository (RIR) on the Indiana Assessment Portal by Monday, July 17. Item specifications for computer science will be released at a later date. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Assessment with additional questions.
NEW: IDOE and Roadtrip Nation Announce Fall 2023 Indiana Road Trip
This September, IDOE and Roadtrip Nation will send three young people, ages 18-24, on a free road trip across Indiana in the RoadTrip RV to find their fit in the workforce. Roadtrippers will get to sit down with professionals working in various industries and discuss interests, strengths, and values in professions related to STEM, education, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and much more. Participants will make valuable connections, explore job opportunities throughout Indiana, and learn beneficial job skills through the process. Applications are open through Sunday, July 2. Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Pathways with any questions.
UPDATE: Educator Supply and Demand Marketplace - Supply Side Launching Soon
Current and emerging educators across Indiana can now create talent profiles to match with schools that meet their job search criteria. Candidate profiles will be accessible to all schools that opted into the full Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The average Indiana district currently has over 300 new candidates visible in the marketplace. Indiana superintendents and/or HR directors interested in the next opportunity to opt-in to the full Nimble ATS are invited to complete this JotForm. Additional information about the statewide partnership with Nimble can be found here. Contact Rebecca Estes with any questions.
UPDATE: Nominations Deadline for the 2023 Educational Excellence Awards Extended
Up to $5 million will be awarded to schools across the state to celebrate their progress and achievement in supporting student excellence and growth. Award winners will be honored at the second annual Indiana Educational Excellence Awards Gala in Indianapolis on Friday, September 8. More information can be found here. To be considered for an award, schools and educators can complete a nomination form here. The nomination deadline has been extended to Friday, June 16. For more information, contact the Office of Educator Talent.
REMINDER: Indiana STEM (I-STEM) Educator Expansion Program Registration Now Available
IDOE is partnering with Educational Service Centers (ESCs) of Indiana to launch the I-STEM partnership. I-STEM provides support for both currently licensed teachers in non-STEM areas and prospective teachers who are not licensed and hold a bachelor’s degree to become licensed to teach in a STEM content area. IDOE has identified eligible STEM content areas as life science, chemistry, earth/space science, physics, physical science, computer science, technology education, and mathematics. Click here for more information and registration. Contact IDOE's Office of Educator Talent with any questions.
REMINDER: Nominate an Educator for Teacher of the Year
The Indiana Teacher of the Year Program works to inspire, rejuvenate, and celebrate the teaching profession by recognizing outstanding teachers from across the state. Local schools are encouraged to participate in an annual selection process and local Teacher(s) of the Year are encouraged to complete the state application process by Friday, July 7. More Information on the 2024 Indiana Teacher of the Year selection process can be found here. Contact intoy@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Additional Opportunities to Recognize Indiana Educators
Throughout the year, numerous opportunities arise nationwide to acknowledge the incredible work of Indiana educators. IDOE’s Office of Educator Talent has developed this document which will be updated periodically with external opportunities to recognize educators. To submit an educator recognition opportunity not listed, contact Anne Marie Milligan.
REMINDER: Gearing up for the 2023-2024 School Year – Participation Required to Receive Data Exchange Credentials
In the coming weeks, IDOE will send detailed communication to school data teams about required training sessions that must be completed by schools and student information system (SIS) vendors prior to the 2023-2024 school year. Schools will be expected to join training specific to their SIS. These sessions should be attended by at least two individuals from each school corporation – the individual in the lead data role and the superintendent, assistant superintendent, chief financial officer, chief information officer, or director/head of school. At the conclusion of the training, schools will be provided with their Data Exchange credentials for the year. Schools will only be able to get access to these credentials by attending the training. Contact the Data Exchange Team with any questions.
REMINDER: Student Academic Record Collection
Changes implemented for reporting course enrollments (student academic record replacing course completion collection) and outcomes will impact all schools that report course-level data to IDOE. These updates are occurring to improve the completeness of academic records for each student, to support metrics on the Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard, and to monitor Graduation Pathways progress. The full memo is available here and the related FAQ document is available here. Contact IDOE's Data Exchange Team with any questions.
REMINDER: Student Safety Reporting
Indiana’s Student Safety Reporting Law (IC 20-34-6-1) requires school corporations to report student bullying, arrest, and gang data for each school to IDOE. These submissions are now included on the DOE-ES Report (discipline report) via the STN Application Center data transfer function. This data collection is now open, and submissions must be complete by Friday, June 30. Questions related to the submission of this data can be directed to the STN administrator for your school corporation. More information can also be found on IDOE’s website. Additionally, Indiana Code 20-34-6-1 requires each school corporation to submit data to IDOE related to law enforcement presence in schools. This data collection is open now and will close Thursday, June 30. To complete this data collection, please use this link. Contact Steve Balko with any questions.
REMINDER: Annual Office of School Finance Budget Workshop
Please read this memo regarding the Annual Office of School Finance Budget Workshop, which will be held on Wednesday, June 28, at the Pike Performing Arts Center, Indianapolis, beginning at 9 a.m. ET. The workshop should conclude by noon. Participants can attend the workshop in-person, watch it virtually, or view a recorded version at a later date. Please register using this link. Contact the Office of School Finance with any questions.
NEW: Next Generation School Improvement Grants (NextGen SIG)
The Office of School Support and Transformation is now accepting applications for planning grants as part of the NextGen SIG program through Friday, August 4. This is a competitive grant to aid in school transformation. Eligibility for this grant extends to all schools currently identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) under Indiana’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan. Interested school officials can read more about the grant program in the NextGen SIG overview. A list of eligible schools can be found here.
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Application window
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Review period (tentative)
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Finalist interviews (tentative)
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Announcement (tentative)
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Friday, June 9, through Friday, August 4
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Tuesday, August 8, through Friday, September 1
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Wednesday, September 6, through Friday, September 8
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Friday, September 15
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The scoring rubric used to evaluate the application is found here. Contact IDOE's Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
REMINDER: School Improvement Plans
The submission window for Comprehensive Needs Assessment/School Improvement Plans (CNA/SIP) is now open. Use of the state CNA/SIP template fulfills all requirements under state law and ESSA for schools identified for CSI, TSI, and/or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ASTI). Submissions are due by Friday, October 6. This memo provides additional information, including links to the CNA/SIP Google doc and CNA/SIP template. Contact IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation with any questions.
REMINDER: Student Learning Recovery Grant - Expanding What Works
The Expanding What Works program promotes regional partnerships between community organizations, local non-profits, municipal partners, and/or local school corporations to replicate the successful Indy Summer Learning Labs at a regional level. This competitive grant program will prioritize applicants that demonstrate a commitment to partnering with the Lavinia Group to implement a high-quality, research-based summer learning curriculum and fidelity to the core design principles of the Indy Summer Learning Labs. More information and applications are available here. Contact CommunityLearningGrant@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: Crossing the Finish Line – Top 10 High Schools for Enrollments
For the third consecutive summer, high schools across the state are partnering with IDOE, the Commission for Higher Education (CHE), Governor's Workforce Cabinet (GWC), and higher education institutions to help more students earn a credential of value. Research shows that increased levels of educational attainment positively impact students’ future quality of life, health, living wage, employment, and sustained earning. Through the Crossing the Finish Line initiative, eligible students can receive free tuition and books at Ivy Tech or Vincennes University (fees are also covered). To date, over 2,500 students have registered for classes this summer…and this number continues to grow by the day! Here’s a look at the top 10 schools across the state with students participating, in proportion to their overall student population.
- Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation Early College High School
- BELIEVE Circle City High School
- Batesville High School
- GEO Next Generation High School
- Rising Sun High School
- East Central High School
- Silver Creek High School
- Eastern High School
- Wapahani High School
- Madison-Grant Jr./Sr. High School
REMINDER: Explore, Engage, Experience (3E) Grant Year One Report Due Thursday, June 15
All 3E Grant Recipients must complete the Year One Report in Jotform by Thursday, June 15. Contact studentpathways@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Alternative Education Grant Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) Report
In order to distribute alternative education funds in a timely manner, Alternative Education Grant FTE Student Reports must be submitted by Sunday, July 30. If your school corporation had an approved alternative education program during the 2022-2023 school year, an FTE Student Report must be submitted in DOE Online. Contact studentpathways_alted@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: 2023-2024 School Year (FY24) High Ability Program (HAP) Grant Application Now Open
The 2023-2024 HAP Grant application will be open until Saturday, July 1. The application must be completed in Jotform by the deadline. Contact studentpathways_highability@doe.in.gov with any questions.
NEW: Comprehensive School Safety Planning - Prevention Through Recovery Workshop
One additional PREPaRE Workshop 1 will be held at the Hamilton County Community Foundation on Wednesday, August 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. This workshop emphasizes the unique needs and functions of school safety and crisis response teams and the important steps needed to develop cohesive and sustainable teams that integrate school personnel and community service provider roles. The focus of the workshop will explore how to prepare for school crises by developing, exercising, and evaluating crisis preparedness plans. Please register here by Friday, August 4, or until space runs out. For questions about future regional training, please email tcgmiller@collaborativewks.com or info@projectawarein.org.
NEW: June PATINS Project Opportunities and Resources for Indiana Educators
The PATINS Project offers opportunities and resources for educators across the state. Opportunities and resources offered are listed here. Contact the PATINS Project or IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with any questions.
UPDATED: Register for Get Your Teach On Summer Teacher & Leader Conferences
IDOE and Get Your Teach On are offering four free conferences at locations throughout Indiana this summer! Conferences will take place at the following locations:
- Monday, July 10, and Tuesday, July 11: Jasper High School, Jasper, IN (Waitlist for teacher conference)
- Thursday, July 13, and Friday, July 14: Decatur Central High School, Indianapolis, IN (Waitlist for teacher conference)
- Monday, July 17, and Tuesday, July 18: Southside Middle School, Muncie, IN
- Thursday, July 20, and Friday, July 21: Washington High School, South Bend, IN
This year, the professional development experiences for teachers and administrators will occur at the same time and location. Educators will attend a Two-Day Teacher Experience from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET each day. Leaders will attend a One-Day Administrator Experience from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on the first day of the conference. All locations have a maximum capacity of 500 educators and 250 leaders. Register before the sessions fill up! Contact IDOE’s Office of Student Support and Accessibility with questions.
UPDATED: New Office Hours Time - American Rescue Plan (ARP) Grant
IDOE’s Office of Special Education Part B fiscal team will host another office hours meeting on Wednesday, June 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) with questions related to the ARP Grant. Attendees may ask IDOE questions or discuss issues concerning remaining balances. The session will not include a presentation, as this serves as structured time for individual discussion. Additional information concerning the use of funds for non-tech and tech-related categories can be found here. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with additional questions.
UPDATED: FY 2022 IDEA Part B Grant & FY 2022 ARP IDEA Grant Periods Close Saturday, September 30
Refer to the following deadlines regarding the IDEA Part B Grant and ARP IDEA Grant for FY 2022:
- The form to request FY 2022 and ARP IDEA Grant Proportionate Share Waivers will become available on Saturday, July 1. The deadline for the next round of Part B monitoring reports is due Monday, July 31.
- LEAs must submit budget modification requests for the FY 2022 grants by Friday, September 15, to ensure sufficient time for modification, review, and approval by IDOE.
- Reimbursement requests for the FY 2022 and ARP grants must be submitted by Friday, December 15.
Additional guidance for the FY 2022 IDEA Part B Grant and the IDEA ARP Grant are available under Part B Grants for Special Education in the Office of Special Education Moodle Community. Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with additional questions.
REMINDER: FY 2024 Special Education Grant Assurances Due Saturday, July 1
FY 2024 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Grant Assurances templates and instructions for using the Grant Management System are now available in the Office of Special Education Community in Moodle under Part B Grants for Special Education. To reserve the earliest reimbursement effective date for the FY 2024 Part B Grant period, school corporations, charter, and state schools must correctly submit FY 2024 Part B Grant Assurances in the Grant Management System on or before Saturday, July 1. Four new questions have been added to the Assurances to address Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 U.S.C. 1228a). Contact IDOE’s Office of Special Education with any questions.
NEW: Future-Focused Indiana Academic Standards Now Available
On Wednesday, June 7, SBOE approved streamlined K-12 Indiana Academic Standards in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science and Computer Science. The adoption of these prioritized standards follows IDOE’s statutorily-required work to update standards in key content areas to align with the essential skills and traits necessary for students to be successful after high school graduation. SBOE also adopted updated Indiana Academic Standards for Physical Education, Health and Wellness, and Fine Arts per the regularly scheduled standards revision cycle, as well as Early Learning Standards and newly-developed integrated STEM standards. All updated standards are now accessible on IDOE’s Indiana Academic Standards webpage. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
NEW: Digital Learning Coach Grant 2023 Recipients
IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning is pleased to announce the 35 recipients of the 2023 Digital Learning Coach Grant. This competitive grant opportunity supports professional development for staff who spend at least half of their contracted time in a digital learning coaching role. For more information and the list of recipients, view this memo. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
NEW: On-Demand Professional Development (PD) with IDOE
IDOE hosts PD with IDOE on a variety of topics throughout the school year. May sessions are now available for on-demand viewing in the Indiana Learning Lab:
Attend future live sessions and view other on-demand content in the Indiana Learning Lab. Contact IDOE’s Office of Digital Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Dyslexia Reporting Requirements
School corporations and charter schools must report dyslexia information for the previous school year on their school website before Saturday, July 15. This information must include:
- The dyslexia intervention programs used during the previous school year to assist students with dyslexia;
- The number of students during the school year who received dyslexia intervention; and
- The total number of students identified with dyslexia.
Reporting criteria can be found on page seven of the 2022-2023 Dyslexia Guidance for Schools. Please contact IDOE’s Literacy Center with any questions.
REMINDER: Required STEM Curriculum Survey Due Friday, June 16
Pursuant to Indiana Code (IC) 20-20-5.5-2(h), IDOE is conducting a statewide survey to determine what curricular materials have been adopted for teaching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in each state-accredited school. This legislature requires a designee from each public school corporation, public charter school, and state-accredited non-public school to complete this survey by 5 p.m. ET on Friday, June 16. If a school corporation maintains consistent curriculum adoption across grade levels and schools within the corporation, then only a single submission for the corporation is required. Please contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: Early Intervention Grant Updates and Wrap Up
Corporations or schools that were awarded funds via the 2022-2023 Early Intervention Grant must submit their completed cash request document by Friday, June 30, to access grant funds. Corporations and schools must encumber all distributed funds by Friday, September 29, and return any unused funds to IDOE by Friday, December 15. The 2022-2023 Early Intervention Grant end-of-year report will be released later this summer. The Early Intervention Grant will be discontinued after this school year, as it was not included in the biennial budget passed during the recent legislative session. Contact IDOE’s Office of Teaching and Learning with any questions.
REMINDER: 2023-2024 Reading Plan and Dyslexia Reporting Submissions Due Friday, June 30
511 Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) 6.2-3.1 requires all public and accredited non-public schools with students enrolled in kindergarten through grade three to complete and submit an elementary reading plan to IDOE by close of business on Friday, June 30. IDOE’s Literacy Center released the new Reading Plan Guidance to assist with this requirement.
- Public schools will use this form.
- Accredited non-public schools will use this form.
In addition to the reading plan, IC 20-35.5 requires all public schools to report dyslexia screening data from the current 2022-2023 school year. Accredited non-public schools are not required to submit this data, but have the option to report it. Charter schools will use this form for dyslexia reporting dyslexia screening data. The submission window is open through Friday, June 30. Contact IDOE’s Literacy Center with questions or for additional guidance.
NEW: Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2023/FY 2024 Title I Preliminary Allocations
The FFY 2023/FY 2024 Title I Preliminary Allocations have been distributed to all LEAs. If you did not receive notification, or have questions, contact TitleI@doe.in.gov.
NEW: Pre-Application Equity (Disparity) Reports
The 2023 Equity (Disparity) Reports, which are needed to complete Section 3 of the Pre-application, have been uploaded to the Pre-application course within Moodle. Contact TitleI@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER: Return to In-Person Instruction Plans
U.S. Department of Education regulations require that a local education agency's (LEA’s) return to in-person instruction plans must be reviewed and revised as needed every six months, must include public comment, and be posted on the LEA’s public website. This will be required of ESSER III recipients for the statutory life of ESSER III, meaning plans will need to be updated every six months until September 30, 2023. Please note that the encumbrance deadline for ESSER III remains September 30, 2024; this does not extend the need to review plans as it only applies to encumbrance. The following schedule will apply to the return to in-person plans at the local level. IDOE is required to monitor the return to in-person instruction plans.
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Initial Posting Deadline
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No later than June 24, 2021
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Second Review and Posting Deadline
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December 24, 2021
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Third Review and Posting Deadline
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June 24, 2022
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Fourth Review and Posting Deadline
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December 24, 2022
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Fifth and Final Review and Posting Deadline
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Saturday, June 24, 2023
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Please submit any new links to your in-person learning plan via this JotForm no later than Saturday, June 24. Please send any questions to esser@doe.in.gov.
REMINDER: Schoolwide Programs (SWP) Application
If your corporation has schools that are not currently operating as an SWP, please see this memo for additional information and the 2023-2024 school year application. A list of currently approved SWP schools can be reviewed here. Additional information and resources will be available in Moodle in the coming weeks. Applications are due Friday, June 23. Contact TitleI@doe.in.gov with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE NATION COLLEGE RESOURCES FOUNDATION (NCRF): Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Dual Enrollment Program
National College Resources Foundation has launched a Dual Enrollment program with select HBCUs which allows 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit. This program is free and spaces are limited, so apply today. Contact NCRF with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME: Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program (AP-TIP) Summer Institute
AP Teachers are invited to register for the AP Summer Institute sponsored by the University of Notre Dame’s AP-TIP. The 2023 AP Summer Institute will be held Tuesday, July 11, through Friday, July 14, at Pike High School on the northwest side of Indianapolis. Sessions meet daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. To view the full list of sessions and register by Friday, June 23, visit the event page. Contact Karen Morris with any questions.
REMINDER FROM THE LILLY ENDOWMENT: Renewal Grants for Indiana K-12 Educators
The Lilly Endowment is pleased to announce the 37th round of its Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program (TCFP). This program supports educators throughout Indiana by providing resources for them to take time for meaningful renewal. The Endowment believes that through new experiences, exploration, and reflection educators can generate renewed energy in their careers, innovative approaches to teaching and educational leadership, and thoughtful ways to encourage students’ creative thinking. The Endowment expects to award approximately 100 grants, each totaling up to $15,000, in 2024. The application deadline is 5 p.m. ET on Monday, September 11. Three information sessions will be held on:
- Tuesday, August 8
- Thursday, August 10
To learn more or register for one of these sessions, visit the Lilly Endowment website. Contact Lilly Endowment staff at teachercreativity@lei.org with any questions.
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