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Indiana House Bill HB1246

Indiana 2025 Regular Session

Indiana House Bill HB1246 Compare Versions

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22 Introduced Version
33 HOUSE BILL No. 1246
44 _____
55 DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
66 Citations Affected: IC 20-19-12.
77 Synopsis: Comprehensive student support program. Establishes the
88 comprehensive student support program (program) for the purposes of:
99 (1) funding the formation and staffing of school based and district level
1010 comprehensive student support teams; (2) improving staffing ratios for
1111 student support personnel; (3) supporting the creation, expansion, and
1212 work of multidisciplinary school teams to address the school
1313 environment, school safety, school improvement, and crisis
1414 intervention and emergency preparedness; and (4) professional
1515 development for student support personnel. Establishes the
1616 comprehensive student support program state board (board). Provides
1717 that the board administers the program. Establishes the comprehensive
1818 student support program fund for the purpose of funding the program,
1919 and annually appropriates to the fund $1,000,000 from cigarette tax
2020 revenue, registration fees, fines, and penalties deposited in the state
2121 general fund.
2222 Effective: July 1, 2025.
2323 Shackleford
2424 January 9, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.
2525 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 Introduced
2626 First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
2727 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
2828 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
2929 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
3030 Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
3131 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
3232 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
3333 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
3434 Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
3535 between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
3636 HOUSE BILL No. 1246
3737 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
3838 education and to make an appropriation.
3939 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
4040 1 SECTION 1. IC 20-19-12 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
4141 2 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
4242 3 JULY 1, 2025]:
4343 4 Chapter 12. Comprehensive Student Support Program
4444 5 Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "board" refers to the
4545 6 comprehensive student support program state board established by
4646 7 section 5 of this chapter.
4747 8 Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the
4848 9 comprehensive student support program fund established by
4949 10 section 7 of this chapter.
5050 11 Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to the
5151 12 comprehensive student support program established by section 4
5252 13 of this chapter.
5353 14 Sec. 4. (a) The comprehensive student support program is
5454 15 established for the following purposes:
5555 16 (1) Funding annual grants for school corporations and
5656 17 charter schools to support the formation and staffing of
5757 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 2
5858 1 school based and district level comprehensive student support
5959 2 teams in order to:
6060 3 (A) increase the role of student support personnel in
6161 4 providing appropriate professional development to
6262 5 advance equity, social justice, and positive school discipline
6363 6 and related competencies among teachers, administrators,
6464 7 and support staff; and
6565 8 (B) support the adoption of a comprehensive, school wide
6666 9 approach to fostering a school environment that facilitates
6767 10 interdisciplinary collaboration, builds on a multi-tiered
6868 11 system of supports, and improves equitable access to
6969 12 school based mental health supports for all students.
7070 13 (2) Improving staffing ratios for student support personnel in
7171 14 order to:
7272 15 (A) allow for a full range of services accessible by all
7373 16 students;
7474 17 (B) employ effective partnerships and collaborations
7575 18 between schools and communities; and
7676 19 (C) reduce out of school suspensions, address
7777 20 disproportionality in discipline, and limit arrests and
7878 21 referrals to law enforcement to situations necessary to
7979 22 protect the health and safety of students, families, and
8080 23 school employees.
8181 24 (3) Supporting the creation, expansion, and work of
8282 25 multidisciplinary teams within schools that collaborate with
8383 26 school leadership teams, families, and community partners in
8484 27 addressing the school environment, school safety, school
8585 28 improvement, and crisis intervention and emergency
8686 29 preparedness, in order to achieve an integrated approach that
8787 30 advances a culturally responsive approach to positive school
8888 31 discipline and trauma informed practices.
8989 32 (4) Equipping student support personnel with professional
9090 33 development that supports best practices for working with
9191 34 students and families.
9292 35 (b) The board shall administer the program.
9393 36 (c) The program must:
9494 37 (1) provide annual grants to school corporations to assist in
9595 38 improving student support staff ratios and establishing
9696 39 comprehensive student support teams to improve the school
9797 40 environment, school safety, and equitable student academic
9898 41 success and outcomes; and
9999 42 (2) provide information and make recommendations
100100 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 3
101101 1 concerning best practices and available resources from fields
102102 2 related to student, family, and educator support.
103103 3 Sec. 5. (a) The comprehensive student support program state
104104 4 board is established as a continuing board under the executive
105105 5 branch.
106106 6 (b) The department shall staff the board.
107107 7 (c) The department, in consultation with educational and
108108 8 student services professional associations, shall appoint the
109109 9 members of the board as follows:
110110 10 (1) One (1) school administrator, principal, or dean of
111111 11 discipline.
112112 12 (2) Two (2) teachers:
113113 13 (A) one (1) of whom must teach in kindergarten through
114114 14 grade 8; and
115115 15 (B) one (1) of whom must teach in grades 9 through 12.
116116 16 (3) One (1) school counselor.
117117 17 (4) One (1) school psychologist.
118118 18 (5) One (1) school social worker.
119119 19 (6) One (1) school nurse.
120120 20 (7) One (1) school resource officer.
121121 21 (8) One (1) special education administrator or special
122122 22 education teacher.
123123 23 (9) One (1) expert on trauma informed practices.
124124 24 (10) One (1) expert on:
125125 25 (A) positive behavior interventions and supports; or
126126 26 (B) restorative justice.
127127 27 (11) One (1) expert on culturally responsive practices.
128128 28 (12) One (1) mental health practitioner.
129129 29 (13) One (1) community stakeholder.
130130 30 (14) One (1) student in kindergarten through grade 12.
131131 31 (15) One (1) parent or guardian of a student in kindergarten
132132 32 through grade 12.
133133 33 The membership of the board must be culturally diverse.
134134 34 (d) The members of the board shall annually appoint a
135135 35 chairperson from among the board's members.
136136 36 (e) The board shall meet at the call of the chairperson. The
137137 37 department shall coordinate meetings of the board.
138138 38 (f) A member serves at the will of the appointing authority. The
139139 39 term of a member ends on June 30 of the next odd-numbered year
140140 40 following the member's appointment. However, the member may
141141 41 be reappointed to subsequent terms.
142142 42 (g) If a vacancy exists on the board, the appointing authority
143143 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 4
144144 1 who appointed the former member whose position is vacant shall
145145 2 appoint an individual to fill the vacancy. An individual appointed
146146 3 to fill a vacancy serves for the remainder of the term of the former
147147 4 member.
148148 5 (h) All members appointed to the board are voting members.
149149 6 Nine (9) members of the board constitute a quorum. The
150150 7 affirmative votes of a majority of the members are required to take
151151 8 official action.
152152 9 (i) A member of the board who is not a state employee is not
153153 10 entitled to the minimum salary per diem provided by
154154 11 IC 4-10-11-2.1(b). The member is, however, entitled to
155155 12 reimbursement for mileage and traveling expenses as provided
156156 13 under IC 4-13-1-4 and other expenses actually incurred in
157157 14 connection with the member's duties as provided in the state
158158 15 policies and procedures established by the Indiana department of
159159 16 administration and approved by the budget agency.
160160 17 (j) Each member of the board who is a state employee, but who
161161 18 is not a member of the general assembly, is entitled to
162162 19 reimbursement for mileage and traveling expenses as provided
163163 20 under IC 4-13-1-4 and other expenses actually incurred in
164164 21 connection with the member's duties as provided in the state
165165 22 policies and procedures established by the Indiana department of
166166 23 administration and approved by the budget agency.
167167 24 (k) The board shall perform the following duties:
168168 25 (1) Advise and recommend evidence informed practices for
169169 26 the program.
170170 27 (2) Conduct a review of 511 IAC 4-1.5 to determine whether
171171 28 511 IAC 4-1.5 requires amendment to conform with this
172172 29 chapter.
173173 30 (3) Approve or disapprove applications for matching grants
174174 31 from the fund.
175175 32 (4) Set standards to assist schools in effectively and accurately
176176 33 assessing the schools' staffing levels of student services
177177 34 personnel.
178178 35 (5) Recommend standards for district level policies to
179179 36 promote equitable and effective school discipline and positive
180180 37 behavior.
181181 38 (6) Make recommendations for intra-agency and interagency
182182 39 collaboration to strengthen the ability of schools to provide
183183 40 coordinated services to address inequities and barriers to
184184 41 learning, mental health, and school safety.
185185 42 (7) Develop a comprehensive plan for student support
186186 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 5
187187 1 workforce development, in consultation with educational
188188 2 professional associations and university programs.
189189 3 (8) Advise the department regarding training curricula and
190190 4 standards for student support personnel.
191191 5 (9) Advise the department regarding training standards based
192192 6 on principles of equity and social justice.
193193 7 Sec. 6. (a) The department shall:
194194 8 (1) administer the matching grant program and other
195195 9 activities of the board;
196196 10 (2) conduct annual training sessions for student support
197197 11 personnel in consultation with educational and student
198198 12 support professional associations; and
199199 13 (3) develop appropriate guidelines, curricula, and standards
200200 14 for student support personnel.
201201 15 (b) Curricula developed under subsection (a)(3) must include
202202 16 training in:
203203 17 (1) culturally responsive practices, equity, and social justice;
204204 18 (2) implicit bias;
205205 19 (3) trauma informed practices; and
206206 20 (4) positive school discipline practices.
207207 21 Sec. 7. (a) The comprehensive student support program fund is
208208 22 established to provide matching grants for school corporations and
209209 23 charter schools for the purposes of:
210210 24 (1) improving ratios of student to student service staff; and
211211 25 (2) furthering the creation of multidisciplinary student
212212 26 services personnel teams to help improve the school
213213 27 environment and school safety, increase access to services for
214214 28 all students, and foster academic success and positive student
215215 29 outcomes for all students.
216216 30 (b) The department shall administer the fund.
217217 31 (c) The fund consists of:
218218 32 (1) money appropriated to the fund under subsection (d);
219219 33 (2) money appropriated to the fund by the general assembly
220220 34 in addition to money appropriated to the fund under
221221 35 subsection (d); and
222222 36 (3) donations, gifts, and money received from any other
223223 37 source, including transfers from other funds or accounts.
224224 38 Money in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert
225225 39 to the state general fund.
226226 40 (d) There is annually appropriated to the fund one million
227227 41 dollars ($1,000,000) from money deposited in the state general fund
228228 42 under IC 6-7-1-28.1(1).
229229 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 6
230230 1 (e) The board shall annually award matching grants from the
231231 2 fund to school corporations for the following purposes:
232232 3 (1) Building multidisciplinary teams in schools that are
233233 4 comprised of school counselors, school psychologists, school
234234 5 social workers, and school nurses, and paying related
235235 6 expenses to support these teams.
236236 7 (2) Employing appropriately licensed school psychologists,
237237 8 school counselors, school social workers, and school nurses at
238238 9 both the district and school level to improve student support
239239 10 staff ratios to help meet national best practice standards.
240240 11 (3) Providing professional development and training for
241241 12 school staff or community partners to address competencies
242242 13 essential to creating positive learning environments, including
243243 14 those related to school environment and safety, positive
244244 15 discipline, culturally responsive practices, equity and social
245245 16 justice issues, implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and
246246 17 crisis prevention, preparedness, and response.
247247 18 (4) Providing technology or equipment needs for staff hired
248248 19 under the program.
249249 20 (f) To qualify for funding a position pursuant to a grant, the
250250 21 intended personnel must have appropriate credentials and training
251251 22 to provide student support expertise and professional development
252252 23 for staff and the school community to help improve school climate,
253253 24 safety, equitable practices, academic success, and positive student
254254 25 outcomes.
255255 26 (g) To apply for a grant under this section, a school corporation
256256 27 shall:
257257 28 (1) agree to match ten percent (10%) of the amount of the
258258 29 grant;
259259 30 (2) submit to the board a comprehensive student support
260260 31 plan; and
261261 32 (3) agree that each school in the school corporation shall:
262262 33 (A) collect and regularly review disaggregated data on
263263 34 school suspensions and expulsions, school level arrests, and
264264 35 referrals to outside agencies; and
265265 36 (B) collect data on perceptions of school environment, and
266266 37 the number and type of programs and activities engaged in
267267 38 by student support personnel whose positions are funded
268268 39 by the grant.
269269 40 (h) A student support plan submitted under subsection (g) must
270270 41 demonstrate that:
271271 42 (1) the school corporation has a long term commitment to
272272 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 7
273273 1 improving student support staff ratios in order to effectively
274274 2 operate multidisciplinary teams at the district level and in all
275275 3 schools in the school corporation;
276276 4 (2) the multidisciplinary teams will work collaboratively with
277277 5 school leadership teams, families, and community partners
278278 6 and help provide the expertise to achieve comprehensive
279279 7 integration of social, emotional, and behavioral health
280280 8 services at the district and school levels and to implement
281281 9 strategies for using high quality interventions that are
282282 10 accessible by all students;
283283 11 (3) the plan is based on clear district policy priorities and a
284284 12 documented need at the district and school level to direct
285285 13 funding to programs and practices that will effectively
286286 14 address school environment and safety concerns and improve
287287 15 equitable academic success and school outcomes;
288288 16 (4) coordination with existing school programs and teams will
289289 17 help inform the district and school level annual planning
290290 18 process, including crisis preparation, school safety, positive
291291 19 school discipline, and school achievement and improvement
292292 20 plans;
293293 21 (5) the plan targets services that are most needed,
294294 22 appropriate, and culturally responsive to a school's unique
295295 23 student population and learning community; and
296296 24 (6) multidisciplinary teams will help develop and support
297297 25 current and future planning to achieve an interconnected
298298 26 framework of systems linking:
299299 27 (A) multi-tiered systems of support that encompass
300300 28 prevention, wellness promotion, interventions, and
301301 29 evidence based approaches to address the complex needs
302302 30 of children and youth experiencing, or at risk for,
303303 31 academic, emotional, behavioral, or mental health
304304 32 challenges;
305305 33 (B) professional training of all staff on, and
306306 34 implementation of, activities and programs advancing
307307 35 equity and social justice, student and family engagement,
308308 36 social emotional learning, culturally responsive practices,
309309 37 restorative practices, positive behavioral supports, trauma
310310 38 responsive practices, nonexclusionary discipline practices,
311311 39 and regular use of disaggregated data in evaluating school
312312 40 practices;
313313 41 (C) the development of evidence based standards for
314314 42 district and school level policies to promote effective school
315315 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147 8
316316 1 discipline and positive behavior;
317317 2 (D) communication strategies among the multidisciplinary
318318 3 team and district and school leadership personnel to
319319 4 advance school safety and the school environment in a
320320 5 positive and equitable learning environment; and
321321 6 (E) district and school teams to collaboratively address
322322 7 school safety efforts, including crisis response and
323323 8 emergency preparedness activities, within a positive
324324 9 learning environment.
325325 10 (i) A school corporation's second and subsequent applications
326326 11 for a grant under this section must:
327327 12 (1) present data collected under subsection (g)(3) for purposes
328328 13 of assessing the extent of improvement in outcomes regarding
329329 14 positive school environment, school safety, and equitable
330330 15 academic and behavioral student outcomes; and
331331 16 (2) include a data statement that analyzes root causes related
332332 17 to underlying reasons for disproportionate outcomes.
333333 18 (j) A grant awarded under this section may not exceed the
334334 19 following:
335335 20 (1) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per year, in the
336336 21 case of:
337337 22 (A) a school corporation or charter school that has an
338338 23 ADM of at least one thousand (1,000); or
339339 24 (B) a cooperative of school corporations whose ADM
340340 25 collectively totals at least one thousand (1,000).
341341 26 (2) Sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) per year, in the case of:
342342 27 (A) a school corporation or charter school that has an
343343 28 ADM of less than one thousand (1,000); or
344344 29 (B) a cooperative of school corporations whose ADM
345345 30 collectively totals less than one thousand (1,000).
346346 31 (k) Grant funds awarded under this section may not be used to
347347 32 fund unlicensed staffing positions or school security positions.
348348 2025 IN 1246—LS 6980/DI 147