| 1 | 1 | | |
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| 2 | 2 | | Introduced Version |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE BILL No. 348 |
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| 4 | 4 | | _____ |
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| 5 | 5 | | DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL |
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| 6 | 6 | | Citations Affected: IC 20-31-4.1. |
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| 7 | 7 | | Synopsis: Waiving requirements for accredited schools. Requires |
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| 8 | 8 | | (instead of allows) the state board of education (state board) to approve |
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| 9 | 9 | | an application to waive compliance with certain provisions requested |
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| 10 | 10 | | by a school or group of schools under the performance based |
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| 11 | 11 | | accreditation law. Requires the state board to do the following: (1) |
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| 12 | 12 | | Review each compliance waiver request at least once every three years |
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| 13 | 13 | | (instead of periodically). (2) Suspend or revoke a compliance waiver |
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| 14 | 14 | | if the state board determines that the school or group of schools has not |
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| 15 | 15 | | demonstrated an improvement in student academic performance. |
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| 16 | 16 | | Effective: July 1, 2025. |
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| 17 | 17 | | Buchanan |
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| 18 | 18 | | January 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education and Career |
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| 19 | 19 | | Development. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 2025 IN 348—LS 7265/DI 110 Introduced |
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| 21 | 21 | | First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025) |
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| 22 | 22 | | PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana |
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| 23 | 23 | | Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, |
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| 24 | 24 | | additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional |
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| 26 | 26 | | provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the |
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| 27 | 27 | | word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds |
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| 28 | 28 | | a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts |
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| 30 | 30 | | between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SENATE BILL No. 348 |
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| 32 | 32 | | A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning |
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| 33 | 33 | | education. |
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| 34 | 34 | | Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: |
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| 35 | 35 | | 1 SECTION 1. IC 20-31-4.1-5, AS ADDED BY P.L.92-2020, |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2 SECTION 69, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE |
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| 37 | 37 | | 3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 5. (a) The state board may shall approve an |
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| 38 | 38 | | 4 application to waive compliance with provisions described in section |
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| 39 | 39 | | 5 4 of this chapter only if the waiver request is related to a specific goal |
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| 40 | 40 | | 6 or outcome of the school or group of schools. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 7 (b) The state board may shall approve an application under this |
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| 42 | 42 | | 8 chapter if the state board determines that approving the application will |
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| 43 | 43 | | 9 likely: |
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| 44 | 44 | | 10 (1) improve student performance and outcomes; |
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| 45 | 45 | | 11 (2) offer the applicant flexibility in the administration of |
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| 46 | 46 | | 12 educational programs or improve the efficiency of school |
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| 47 | 47 | | 13 operations; |
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| 48 | 48 | | 14 (3) promote innovative educational approaches to student |
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| 49 | 49 | | 15 learning; or |
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| 50 | 50 | | 16 (4) advance the mission or purpose of the school or group of |
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| 51 | 51 | | 17 schools. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2025 IN 348—LS 7265/DI 110 2 |
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| 53 | 53 | | 1 SECTION 2. IC 20-31-4.1-8, AS ADDED BY P.L.92-2020, |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2 SECTION 69, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE |
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| 55 | 55 | | 3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 8. (a) The state board shall periodically review |
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| 56 | 56 | | 4 each compliance waiver requests request that were was approved by |
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| 57 | 57 | | 5 the state board under this chapter at least once every three (3) years. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 6 (b) Subject to subsection (c), the state board may: |
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| 59 | 59 | | 7 (1) amend, suspend, or revoke a compliance waiver request that |
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| 60 | 60 | | 8 was approved by the state board if the state board determines that |
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| 61 | 61 | | 9 the school or group of schools is not meeting the goals or |
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| 62 | 62 | | 10 outcomes described in the applicable application; and |
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| 63 | 63 | | 11 (2) grant approval of a waiver described in section 4 of this |
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| 64 | 64 | | 12 chapter as part of a school's application for accreditation under |
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| 65 | 65 | | 13 this chapter. |
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| 66 | 66 | | 14 (c) The state board shall suspend or revoke a compliance waiver |
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| 67 | 67 | | 15 request that was approved by the state board if the state board |
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| 68 | 68 | | 16 determines that the school or group of schools has not |
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| 69 | 69 | | 17 demonstrated an improvement in student academic performance. |
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| 70 | 70 | | 2025 IN 348—LS 7265/DI 110 |
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