Dear John,

We are in the home stretch of the 2023 legislative session! By the time our April newsletter rolls out, legislators will be headed home until next January. We are hoping for another successful session but we need you! Even if you’ve never “taken action” in the past, there is no time like today. We have high hopes for expanding the choice programs (e.g. eliminating voucher tracks and increasing income eligibility), but it will only happen if we have enough choice champions in the Senate. Please reach out to your Senator and ask him/her to stand up for choice! Even with the proposed expansions, only 6-7% of the K-12 budget would go to the Choice Scholarship Program. We’ve spent the past month traveling around the state hosting Choice Rallies to engage our stakeholders. We need your help getting the expansions over the finish line. Visit our Legislative Action Center today!

John, Andrea, and Beatrice

The INPEA Team

2023 Legislative Session Updates

Although many of our INPEA schools were on spring break this week, legislators were still hard at work! Here’s an update on what happened with education-related bills this week. 

In the House Education committee:

SB 35 This is the Senate’s version of the financial literacy bill. Non-pubs were amended out of the House’s version of the bill (HB 1281). The House amended their version of the bill into SB 35.

SB 100 In addition to providing some timelines for the State Board to approve the recognition of new third party accreditors, it also requires the State Board to revise the current diploma requirements to ensure better alignment with graduation pathways by allowing more flexibility for workforce development opportunities. Passed 11-0 out of the House Education Committee.

SB 369 deals with automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, and having access readily for both athletic and more physical extracurricular activities. There must be a workable AED within 3 minutes of any athletic or physical extracurricular event. Passed 12-1 out of the House Education Committee.

On the Senate side, 

HB 1002 This is the CTE ESA bill. It’s very complex but seems to be a priority of the House. It will be up for amend and vote next week.

HB 1590 requires the DOE to publish a list of high quality curricular materials for both the Science of Reading and STEM. It also removes the choice lottery if applicants exceed the number of choice scholarships available to the school. Passed out of the Senate Education Committee 13-0.  

HB 1608 This bill originally focused on instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation. It now focuses on human sexuality instruction in grades PreK-3 as well as the use of pronouns or names not aligned with a child’s birth sex. We are currently in one part of the bill and not the other. We are trying to get non-pubs removed totally from the bill.

Contact Your State Senator! 

Stand up in support of school choice expansion! Send a personalized message to your State Senator saying that you support the expansions to school choice proposed by the House. Eliminating pathways and expanding financial eligibility would be transformational for thousands of Hoosier families and INPEA needs your vocal support on this issue! We face significant challenges in the Senate so we need you to act NOW! 

HB 1001, the House budget bill with the proposed expansions to school choice, is currently being discussed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The following Senators serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and it is vitally important that these Senators hear from our non-pub community that these expansions are important for Hoosier families. If you are a constituent of any of these Senators, please reach out to them: 

• Sen. Ryan Mishler (Mishawaka)
• Sen. Eric Bassler (Washington)
• Sen. Liz Brown (Ft. Wayne)
• Sen. Justin Busch
• Sen. Ed Charbonneau (Valparaiso)
• Sen. Michael Crider (Greenfield) 
• Sen. Jon Ford (Terre Haute) 
• Sen. Chris Garten (Charlestown)
• Sen. Travis Holdman (Markle)
• Sen. Jeff Raatz (Richmond)
• Sen. Eddie Melton (Gary)
• Sen. David Niezgodski (South Bend)
• Sen. Fady Qaddoura (Indianapolis)
• Sen. Lonnie Randolph (E. Chicago)

Send your message today from INPEA’s Legislative Action Center at https://bit.ly/SchoolChoice23. This is an easy and effective way to engage with your State Senator.  

Evansville and Highland Regional Legislative Events!

Attention Evansville area friends! We have our final school choice rally on April 3 at Good Shepherd School in Evansville. This family-friendly event is open to ALL supporters of school choice. Please encourage your school communities to attend. 

April 3: Evansville Rally – 6pm CT at Good Shepherd School

Register Here

We’ve had over 200 people attend our rallies in Fort Wayne and South Bend! Thank you to everyone who has attended a rally. Let's keep the momentum going! 

A luncheon is also being planned in Highland for local and state elected officials and non-pub leaders from northwest Indiana on April 14. That event is by invitation-only and principals in the region have been working to develop a guest list. 

Read coverage of last week’s Fort Wayne rally in the latest issue of Today’s Catholic.

Legislative Liaison Corner

This information can be copied and pasted into your school communications:

Contact Your State Senator!

Stand up in support of school choice expansion! Send a personalized message to your State Senator saying that you support the expansions to school choice proposed by the House. Eliminating pathways and expanding financial eligibility would be transformational for thousands of Hoosier families and INPEA needs your vocal support on this issue! Send your message today from INPEA’s Legislative Action Center at https://bit.ly/SchoolChoice23. This is an easy and effective way to engage with your State Senator.  

Stay Informed!

Follow INPEA on Twitter or Facebook and subscribe to their newsletters to stay abreast of what’s happening at the Statehouse. 

Want more information? You can check out the Statehouse Express Podcast and also view the 2023 legislative advocacy video. 

EANS 1 Funding Deadline



The spending deadline for EANS 1 funds is September 30, 2023. There are a number of schools with significant remaining balances… a few schools who have not spent anything. If your school did not qualify for EANS 2 funding, you should have received a communication about additional EANS 1 funding available for your school. If you have questions, reach out to Lacey Bolen at IDOE.

Save the Date for INPEC 2023!

October 26 & 27, 2023

After an incredible keynote at INPAC 2022, we are pleased to welcome Ted Neitzke as the Thursday keynote speaker for INPEC 2023! Ted is a motivational speaker and current host and creator of “The Smart Thinking Podcast,” which is dedicated to supporting leadership in the classroom, the boardroom, and in life by sparking reflection, action, collaboration, and empathy. Ted has been a teacher, principal, and superintendent and currently serves as the CEO of a non-profit, member-driven cooperative educational service agency in Wisconsin. 

Not only will make you laugh, he will also challenge you to reflect on your leadership and how you respond in challenging times. We are so excited to have Ted Neitzke as a keynote speaker at INPEC 2023 when more educators can hear his important message. 

Best-selling author and nationally-known speaker Dr. Todd Whitaker is our Friday keynote speaker. Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, Dr. Whitaker is one of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness. He is the author of over 60 books, including the national bestseller What Great Teachers Do Differently. Dr. Whittaker is currently a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University but is also a former math teacher, middle school coordinator, and principal at the middle school, junior high, and high school levels. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals. We are excited to welcome Dr. Todd Whittaker to INPEC 2023!  

Registration for INPEC 2023 will open in mid-April. We will send an email with registration information and will post links on our social media accounts. We hope to see you October 26 and 27 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis for INPEC 2023! 

IDOE Updates

Annual 1003 Flexibility Waivers

IDOE’s Office of School Support and Transformation is now accepting applications for 1003 flexibility waivers. Flexibility through waivers is offered to help support schools in their design efforts to improve student performance and outcomes, help to improve efficiency of school operations, and to help promote innovative educational approaches to student learning. Interested officials can read more about the opportunity in this memo and in the Flexibility Guide for Indiana's K-12 Schools document. Applications are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis through Friday, June 2. 

Applications will be reviewed in three rounds:

Updated Annual Consultation and Agreement Form

Garrett Wilson has provided this form for schools to use in their upcoming meetings.

Grant Information and State Ombudsman Office Hours 

Check out the Title Grants Newsletter. The Grants team posts weekly updates on Thursdays for Title grants. Please check for updates that may affect your local school districts and your equitable share of Title funding.

The Title Grants and Support team have created a new Title Grants & Support calendar for the field. This calendar will feature Title I-IV and ESSER deadlines, Title Grants events, and other key dates. This link will automatically update as changes occur and is a great resource to bookmark.

Garrett Wilson has recurring office hours to handle federal grant questions every Thursday from 2:00-2:30 p.m. You can join his office hours here. 

Register for TitleCon 2023: April 11 & 12

TitleCon 2023 will bring together hundreds of Indiana educators including superintendents, principals, program administrators, and fiscal representatives from local education agencies (LEA), charter schools, and nonpublic schools across the state. This two-day conference will feature keynote speakers and several breakout sessions designed to provide Indiana LEAs, charter schools, and non-public schools with programmatic and fiscal guidance to advance federal education programs in their respective communities. For more information and to register, click here. 

Spotlight on Educator Pipeline Strategies

The Office of Educator Talent is collecting information about existing Grow Your Own, Teacher Residency, and Registered Teacher Apprenticeship partnerships across the state. If your school has an established program or would like to learn more about how to get started, please complete the following survey. Contact eel@doe.in.gov with any questions.

Welcome New Business Partner Archangel Technologies

INPEA is thrilled to welcome our newest Business Partner, Archangel Education and Technology. Archangel’s mission is to help schools with their technology needs by providing the latest hi-tech devices and fast customer support. They help schools through every step of the process from consultation and device selection to repair/replacement and customer support. 

If you attended INPAC 2022, you might recognize Archangel Education and Technology as one of our conference exhibitors. If your school is looking for new Chromebooks and other devices, please reach out to Archangel for your needs. If they reach out, we encourage you to take the time to meet with them. Welcome, Archangel Education and Technology, to the INPEA family! 

Spring 2023 Updates from Ivy Tech: Ivy+ Career Link

 Kate Wallace, Executive Director of Student Communications

Ivy Tech Community College

As an Ivy Tech student, you’ll have access to free career coaching services through Ivy+ Career Link. Ivy+ Career Link services are truly focused on your success. You’ll work with a Career Coach from the very beginning of your educational journey with Ivy Tech. Ivy Tech understands it takes time and commitment to develop a career and that your academic goals and career goals are linked. We want to intentionally help you focus on both!

The Ivy+ Career Link team provides transformative career development services for students and alumni, as well as a variety of talent connection opportunities and employee training for employers. The pool of resources offered connects students, employers, alumni, and communities.

By focusing on honing the employability skills of students and the state's workers, Ivy Tech is working to meet the specific skills and training needs of employers in Indiana and neighboring states.



Get started on your better tomorrow with Ivy Tech today! Visit ivytech.edu/apply to get started.

Indiana Learns Statewide Tutoring Grant Program

Indiana Learns is a statewide tutoring grant program offering $500-$1,000 in funds to qualifying students. In response to requests from school leaders and community partners, the program has developed a new tool that can be used to support enrollment.  Please visit IndianaLearns.org or click here to download our enrollment worksheets. Families can submit the worksheet via email to enroll their eligible students and claim the award.

Do you want to know who at your school is eligible for this grant program? Email avanneman@indianalearns.org to request a list of your eligible students.

Contact: Cathy Tooley

Contact: Dr. Ken Britt

Contact: Dr. Kevin Berkopes

Contact: Alex Urrea

Agudath Israel of America

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Association of Christian Schools International

Christian Schools International

Diocese of Evansville

Diocese of Fort Wayne- South Bend

Diocese of Gary

Diocese of Lafayette

Indiana Association of Independent Schools

Indiana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - Indiana District

The Lutheran School Partnership