SJR 0008 Early Learning Trust Fund
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Establishes the early learning trust fund. Transfers the balance of the common school fund to the early learning trust fund. Allows the principal and income of the early learning trust fund to be used only for educational programs for children before entering primary school, including kindergarten. Repeals provisions requiring the common school fund to be invested for the benefit of the counties, requiring counties to preserve the common school fund, and requiring that all trust funds held by the state remain inviolate and be applied to the purposes for which the trust was created. This proposed amendment has not been previously agreed to by a general assembly.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/11/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Appropriations

SCR 0039 Celebrating the Innovating Use of Technology into the Education Programs
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Ford
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION celebrating the improvement in student learning that has resulted from the incorporation of innovative uses of technology into educational programs in Indiana.

2/24/05 Authored by Senator Ford
2/24/05 Referred to the House
2/24/05 House sponsor: Representative Murphy
2/24/05 First reading: adopted Voice Vote
3/29/05 Referred to Committee on Education
4/25/05 Committee report: do pass adopted
4/28/05 Second reading: adopted Voice Vote
4/28/05 Returned to Senate

SB 0007 Motor Vehicle Restraint Systems
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Wyss, Senator Sipes, Senator Broden
Requires every occupant of a motor vehicle to wear a safety belt, with certain exceptions. Removes from the safety belt law conflicting language that was declared invalid by the Indiana supreme court. Prohibits the sale or transfer of a motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is equipped with safety belts.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Wyss and Sipes
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, Utilities, and Public Policy
1/13/05 Senator Broden added as coauthor
2/17/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
2/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/24/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 171: Yeas 34 and Nays 16
2/24/05 Referred to the House
2/24/05 House sponsor: Representative Becker
2/24/05 Cosponsors: Representative Welch, Representative Burton, and Representative L. Lawson
3/14/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Public Policy and Veterans Affairs

SB 0053 Technology Training for State Employees
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Ford
Requires the state personnel director to establish a technology grant program for certain state employees. Includes training in assistive and accessibility technologies to assist those with disabilities.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Ford
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development
1/13/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
1/18/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/18/05 Amendment 1 (M. Young), prevailed; Voice Vote
1/20/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 15:Yeas 41 and Nays 1
1/20/05 Referred to the House
1/20/05 First House Sponsor: Representative Murphy
3/07/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Technology, Research and Development

SB 0082 High School Diplomas
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Craycraft, Senator Wyss
Provides that a veteran of the Korean Conflict or the Vietnam Conflict who left a public or nonpublic high school without graduating in order to perform military service may receive a high school diploma.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Craycraft
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure
1/11/05 Senator Wyss added as second author

SB 0103 Attendance Officers
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Long
Requires the appointment of an attendance officer in all school corporations. Allows two or more school corporations that each have attendance of less than 1,500 pupils to enter into an agreement to jointly appoint an attendance officer. Provides that an attendance officer may perform only the duties of an attendance officer and may not hold another position within the school corporation. Repeals a provision specifying that a school corporation's superintendent is the attendance officer if an attendance officer is not otherwise appointed.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Long
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0112 Academic Honors Diploma Awards
Author/Co-Authors: Senator R. Meeks, Senator Breaux, Senator Rogers, Senator Long
Requires a school corporation to use money received as an academic honors diploma award for expenditures directly related to the school corporation's academic honors diploma program and program for high ability students. Requires a school corporation to report to the Department of Education how the award money was spent.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator R. Meeks
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development
1/13/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
1/13/05 Senator Breaux and Senator Rogers added as coauthor
1/18/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/18/05 Amendment 1 (R. Meeks), prevailed; Voice Vote
1/18/05 Senator Long added as coauthor
1/20/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 16;Yeas 42 and Nays 0
1/20/05 Referred to the House
1/20/05 First House Sponsor: Representative Espich
3/07/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education

SB 0155 Informational Pupil Counts
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers
Requires an informational count of eligible pupils in January of 2006, 2007, and 2008.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0166 Fetal Development Curriculum
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Drozda
Requires each school corporation to include instruction regarding human fetal development in the school corporation's high school health education curriculum.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Drozda
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0167 Referendum Signatures
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Alting
Allows a school corporation to solicit or collect signatures for a petition or remonstrance on school property.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Alting
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0177 Student Growth Measurement
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Dillon, Senator Miller
Requires a school corporation to report student growth information to the state department of health. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the commission on excellence in health care.)

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Dillon and Senator Miller
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Health and Provider Services

SB 0194 Teachers on School Committees
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley
Limits the number of teachers that the exclusive representative may appoint to serve on statutory or locally created committees of a school corporation.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/04/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
1/27/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
1/31/05 Second Reading: ordered engrossed

SB 0199 Selection of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers
Provides for the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be appointed by the Governor. Repeals a statute relating to the residency of candidates for election for Superintendent of Public Instruction and a statute describing the term of office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure

SB 0229 School for the Blind (See SB 433)
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers, Senator Breaux
Changes the name of the School for the Blind to the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Makes certain changes to the qualifications for the superintendents of the School for the Blind and the School for the Deaf, and changes the title of "superintendent" to "chief executive officer" for each school.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/04/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development
1/13/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
1/18/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/18/05 Senator Breaux added as coauthor
1/20/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 19: Yeas 42, Nays 0
1/20/05 Referred to the House
1/20/05 House sponsor: Representative Porter
1/20/05 Cosponsor Representative Behning
3/14/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education

SB 0231 Kindergarten Enrollment Date
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers, Senator Rogers
Provides that a child must be at least five years of age on the following date in a school year to enroll in a school corporation's kindergarten program for that year: (1) August 1 of the 2006-2007 school year; and (2) September 1 of the 2007-2008 school year or a subsequent school year. (Current law provides that a child must be at least five years of age on July 1.) Allows (instead of requiring) a school corporation to adopt an appeals procedure for a parent who wishes to enroll a child who is not at least five years of age.

1/04/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/04/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
1/06/05 Senator Rogers added as second author
1/26/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
1/26/05 Reassigned to the Committee on Appropriations
2/17/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/24/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 177: Yeas 34, Nays 15
2/24/05 Referred to the House
2/24/05 House Sponsor: Representative Behning
2/24/05 Cosponsor: Representative Porter
3/08/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
3/16/05 Committee report: do pass adopted
3/24/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed

SB 0256 ISTEP Examination
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers, Senator Riegsecker, Senator Hershman
Provides that the Indiana statewide testing for educational progress (ISTEP) test must be administered during the spring semester.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
1/10/05 Senator Riegsecker added as coauthor
1/13/05 Senator Hershman added as coauthor

SB 0257 Students and Petitions for Parental Participation
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley
Requires schools to report the reasons for student suspensions and expulsions to the department of education. Authorizes an agreement for court assisted resolution of suspension and expulsion cases between a court having juvenile jurisdiction and a school corporation. Provides that the court shall either supervise the student or order the supervision of the student. Provides that the court and the school corporation may jointly determine which violations leading to suspension or expulsion are eligible for referral to the court. Provides that the school corporation and the court shall determine how the costs of supervising a student under the agreement shall be paid. Allows the school corporation to disclose to a court the education records of a student who has been suspended or expelled. Rises the age of mandatory school attendance to 18 years of age. Provides that a juvenile court may hold a hearing on a petition for parental participation at any time.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/06/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0258 School Corporation Insurance
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley, Senator Lanane, Senator Simpson, Senator Antich-Carr
Allows school corporations to enter into inter local agreements to: (1) purchase insurance coverage; and (2) establish a cooperative risk management program to provide for coverage of certain risks of the school corporations.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/06/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions
1/27/05 Senator Lanane added as second author
1/27/05 Senator Simpson and Senator Antich-Carr added as coauthors

0276 Collective Bargaining for Education Personnel
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Craycraft
Includes state educational institutions (colleges and universities) among the school units required to bargain collectively with employees. Adds provisions concerning final offer mediation-arbitration. Includes non certificated education employees under the collective bargaining provisions. Requires school employers to bargain collectively on certain issues. Authorizes the education employment relations board who issue certain orders and impose certain requirements on a person who commits an unfair practice. Repeals provisions concerning mediation, fact finding, and collective bargaining between a school corporation and an exclusive representative. Repeals a prohibition against strikes by education personnel.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Craycraft
1/06/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Pensions and Labor

SB 0281 Public School Transfer Program
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley
Establishes a public school transfer program, allowing the parent of a student to request a transfer for the student to enroll in: (1) a different public school in the student's base school corporation; or (2) a public school in a different school corporation. Provides an allocation of public funds for transfer students between the base school corporation and the receiving school corporation, and provides that the parent is responsible for transportation and additional costs. Allows school corporations to enter into an inter local agreement under which students may attend school in another school corporation. Allows a student who has legal settlement in a school corporation and whose parent owns property for which the parent pays property tax in another school corporation to attend school in the school corporation in which the parent owns property without transfer tuition being charged. Requires a school corporation to provide notice to parents concerning the publication of the school corporation's annual performance report.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/06/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development
2/16/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/22/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/22/05 Amendment 2 (Kenley), prevailed; Division of the Senate: Yeas 29, Nays 17
3/01/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 240: Yeas 33, Nays 15
3/01/05 Referred to the House
3/01/05 House Sponsor: Representative Behning
3/08/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
3/29/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
3/29/05 Roll Call 337: Yeas 50, Nays 44
4/07/05 Amendment 20 (Behning), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/07/05 Amendment 21 (Behning), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/07/05 Amendment 23 (Behning), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/07/05 Amendment 15 (Hinkle), prevailed; Roll Call 451: Yeas 57, Nays 41
4/07/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
4/11/05 Third reading: defeated; Roll Call 485: Yeas 45, Nays 54

SB 0284 Approval of Leases and Bonds for Classrooms
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Zakas
Removes the requirement that a school corporation conduct a feasibility study, hold public hearings, and hear public testimony on the alternative of using a 12 month school term instead of a nine month school term rather than expanding classroom space when the school corporation intends to issue bonds or enter into a lease agreement to finance the construction of additional classrooms.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Zakas
1/06/05 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0289 Charter School Budget Review
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Mrvan
Requires a charter school to submit its budget to the governing body of the school corporation in which the charter school is located for review and approval. Provides that a charter school is ineligible to receive funding if the school corporation governing body does not approve the charter school's budget.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Mrvan
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0291 Full Day Kindergarten
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Breaux, Senator Waterman
Requires the governing body of a school corporation to establish either a full day or a combination full day and half day program for kindergarten. Provides that the parent of an enrolled kindergarten student determines whether the student attends kindergarten for a full day or half day. Provides a grant to each school corporation that offers a full day kindergarten program, with the amount of the grant equal to the additional amounts a school corporation would receive for tuition support, the growing enrollment adjustment, the at-risk grant, the transportation distribution, and the prime time distribution if each full day kindergarten student were counted as one pupil rather than one-half pupil for the purposes of the distribution formulas.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Breaux
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
1/13/05 Senator Waterman added as second author

SB 0309 Graduation Rate Determination
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers
Includes certain additional groups of students in the determination of a schools graduation rate. Establishes certain procedures concerning a student who has left school and whose location is unknown to the school.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0312 School Transfers
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Antich-Carr
Allows a student to request a transfer between school corporations due to the student's geographic proximity to a particular school.

1/06/05 Authored by Senator Antich-Carr
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0368 Teacher Contracts
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley
Requires a school corporation to take action not later than June 1: (1) to cancel an indefinite contract with a permanent or semi-permanent teacher; or (2) to refuse to renew a contract with a nonpermanent teacher, a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, a principal, or an assistant principal. Limits language in the teachers' collective bargaining law that prohibits a school employer from unilaterally changing the terms and conditions of employment (if no agreement on those terms and conditions has been reached 14 days before the school employer submits a budget) to items that must be bargained collectively.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0370 School Construction Plans
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley
Prohibits a school corporation from entering into a contract concerning plans and specifications prepared by an architect or engineer for the construction of a school building unless the contract includes a provision specifying that: (1) the plans and specifications are the joint property of the architect or engineer and the school corporation; and (2) the architect or engineer agrees that the plans and specifications will be filed with the office of the state building commissioner and may be used by any other school corporation without compensation to the architect or engineer. Provides that the school corporation must file a copy of the plans and specifications with the office of the state building commissioner. Requires the state building commissioner to make the plans available for inspection and copying by any school corporation.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0371 Various Education Matters
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Kenley, Senator Drozda
Provides that the department of education rather than the professional standards board governs education, licensing, and professional development of teachers. Establishes a division within the department to administer these functions. Changes the current professional standards board into an advisory board to advise the state superintendent of public instruction, the state board of education, and the division of professional standards. Provides that the advisory board has rule-making authority. Establishes a fund to receive fee revenue. Establishes a teacher recruitment and retention fund. Requires training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the Heimlich maneuver to obtain an initial license as a teacher. Provides that the ISTEP test must be administered during the spring semester for school years beginning after June 30, 2006. Provides for a pilot test of spring ISTEP testing in May, 2006. Requires the department of education to develop a ten year plan for student diagnostic and summative achievement assessment before August 2, 2005. Raises the age of mandatory school attendance from 16 to 18 years of age. Specifies that a student may withdraw from school before becoming 18 years of age only for the reason of financial hardship, provided the student is employed and supporting the student's family or dependents. Requires a student who seeks to withdraw from school before becoming 18 years of age or graduating to sign a written acknowledgment that the student and the student's parent or guardian understand that withdrawing from school is likely to reduce the student's future earnings and increase the student's likelihood of being unemployed or incarcerated in the future. Expands the reasons a work permit and driver's license may be denied. Requires by December 31, 2005, based on some contingencies, the department of education to study and make findings and recommendations to the legislative council on alternate methods for teacher licensing certification for teacher shortage areas. Allows individuals who have failed the written teacher licensing examination at least twice to receive detailed score reports and allows these individuals to prove content knowledge assessed in the written examination by alternate means. Repeals a redundant section and adds transitional provisions.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Kenley
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
2/16/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/24/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 184: Yeas 32, Nays 17
2/24/05 Referred to the House
2/24/05 House sponsor: Representative Behning
2/24/05 Senator Drozda added as coauthor
3/08/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
3/29/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
4/04/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
4/07/05 House Rule 67 technical correction adopted
4/11/05 Third reading: failed for lack of constitutional majority, Roll Call 506: Yeas 49, Nays 47

SB 0380 E-Scholars Program
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Ford
Establishes the e-scholars program to provide computers and Internet access for certain students. Establishes the e-scholars fund, and appropriates money in the fund to carry out the program.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Ford
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0385 School Year
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Meeks
Requires schools to begin student instructional days for the school year after August 31 and to end before June 2, beginning with the 2007-08 school year.

1/11/05 Authored by Senator Meeks
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0401 Joint Purchase of Insurance by Schools
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Clark
Allows school corporations to jointly purchase insurance.

1/13/05 Authored by Senator Clark
1/13/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0450 School Expulsion and Suspension Plans
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Requires each school corporation to submit to the Department of Education before January 1, 2006, a plan to improve coordination with local courts and local law enforcement in school discipline matters.

1/13/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/13/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

HB 460 School Bonds for Retirement Liability
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Server
Provides that a school corporation that issued bonds to cover retirement or severance liability under a prior statute (which was repealed on December 31, 2004) may issue bonds one additional time for that purpose if the first bond issue was made before April 14, 2003. Provides that the bonds must be issued before July 1, 2006, in an amount not to exceed the difference between: (1) the amount of the prior bond issue (which was limited to 2% of the school corporation's assessed value); and (2) 2% of the school corporation's true tax value at the time of the prior bond issue. Requires a school corporation that issues bonds for retirement or severance liability to reduce the property tax levy for certain other funds of the school corporation in an amount equal to the property tax levy needed for debt service on the bonds. Provides that the bonds are subject to the petition and remonstrance process.

1/18/05 Authored by Senator Server
1/18/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy
1/18/05 Senator Simpson added as second author
2/22/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/28/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/01/05 Third Reading: passed; Roll Call 282: Yeas 41, Nays 7
3/01/05 Referred to the House
3/01/05 House sponsor: Representative Ayres
3/01/05 Cosponsor: Representative Welch
3/14/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and Means
3/15/05 Representative McClain and Representative Thompson added as cosponsors
3/16/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
3/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/28/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 317: Yeas 91, Nays 2
3/28/05 Returned to the Senate with amendments
4/21/05 Senate dissented from House amendments
4/21/05 Senate conferees appointed: Senator Server and Senator Simpson
4/25/05 House conferees appointed: Representative Ayres and Representative Oxley
4/25/05 House advisors appointed: Representative Buell and Representative Welch

SB 0504 School Corporation Public Works Project
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Hershman, Senator Sipes
Authorizes the governing body of a school corporation to enter into a public works contract by a competitive sealed bidding process through a multistate cooperative purchasing program.

1/18/05 Authored by Senator Hershman and Senator Sipes
1/18/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
2/23/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
2/28/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/01/05 Third Reading: passed; Roll Call 260: Yeas 43, Nays 5
3/01/05 Referred to the House
3/01/05 House Sponsor Representative Thompson
3/01/05 House Cosponsor Representative Bottorff
3/14/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
3/30/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
4/07/05 Amendment (Thompson), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/07/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

SB 0517 Selection of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Lubbers
Provides for the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be appointed by the Governor. Makes changes relating to the respective authority of the governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction over education. Entitles the incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction to serve the remainder of the current elected term of office. Provides that certain changes are not applicable to the incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction. Repeals a statute relating to the residency of candidates for election for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Deletes a provision describing the term of office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

1/18/05 Authored by Senator Lubbers
1/18/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure

SB 0542 ISTEP Testing
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Waterman, Senator Skinner
Replaces the ISTEP test program with an assessment program using the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills or the Iowa Tests of Educational Development, as appropriate for the grade level being tested. Repeals a definition and a statute establishing the ISTEP program citizens' review committee.

1/20/05 Authored by Senator Waterman
1/20/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
1/27/05 Senator Skinner added as coauthor

SB 0543 Education Laws
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Hume, Senator Breaux, Senator Skinner
Allows school corporations to pay school operating expenses before board approval. Eliminates the requirement for children with disabilities to be tested under the ISTEP program. Allows any student, with parental permission, to take prescription medications home that were held at school for administration during school hours.

1/20/05 Authored by Senator Hume and Senator Breaux
1/20/05 Coauthored by Senator Skinner
1/20/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0544 Teacher Professional Development Days
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Hume, Senator Breaux, Senator Skinner
Provides that a maximum of two school days when students are dismissed for a full day for parent-teacher conferences and two school days when students are dismissed for a full day for staff professional development activities count as student instructional days for purposes of the required 180 day school year. Voids provisions in the Indiana Administrative Code that allow partial school days used for parent-teacher conferences to count as partial student instructional days and that do not allow students to be dismissed for full days for parent-teacher conferences and staff professional development activities.

1/20/05 Authored by Senator Hume and Senator Breaux
1/20/05 Coauthored by Senator Skinner
1/20/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0552 Length of School Year
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Ford
Extends the number of student instructional days from 180 days to 196 days by the 2008-2009 school year.

1/20/05 Authored by Senator Ford
1/20/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0577 ISTEP Graduation Examination
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Waterman
Provides that a student is not required to pass the grade 10 ISTEP examination in order to receive a high school diploma and graduate from high school. Provides for the placement of an ISTEP+ diploma seal on the high school diploma of a graduate who passes the grade 10 ISTEP examination. Provides that a student who does not pass the grade 10 ISTEP examination may be retested in any school year with the consent of the student's parent. Repeals references to the graduation examination and the obsolete grade 12 examination.

1/20/05 Authored by Senator Waterman
1/20/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0624 Educational Research Institute
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Clark
Creates the educational research institute to conduct and disseminate scientifically valid research and evaluations of educational programs in Indiana.

1/24/05 Authored by Senator Clark
1/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0630 Charter School Review
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Requires the Department of Education to conduct an evaluation and review of each charter school's program, academic achievement, and finances for each five years of operation. Requires a report to be submitted to the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, the state budget agency, and the legislative council.

1/24/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0631 Cost Study of ISTEP Schedule Change
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Requires the Department of Education to study and submit a report to the general assembly concerning the cost of moving the ISTEP testing date from the fall to the spring semester of a school year.

1/24/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0632 Parenting and Personal Finance Instruction
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Requires schools to provide instruction in personal financial responsibility and general parenting skills to students in grades 9 through 12.

1/24/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

SB 0644 Literacy Education in Teacher Training
Author/Co-Authors: Senator Sipes
Makes experience with a scientifically based method of literacy education a requirement for state licensing for elementary school teachers.

1/24/05 Authored by Senator Sipes
1/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development