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For more than two decades, tax-credit scholarship (TCS) policies have helped American families provide their children with the learning environment that meets their individual needs. Now available in 19 states, nearly 300,000 students nationwide use tax-credit scholarships to attend the school of their family's choice. TCS policies create an incentive for taxpayers to contribute to nonprofit scholarship organizations that aid families with tuition and, in some states, other K-12 educational expenses. As with other policies, their ultimate success or failure depends greatly on how they are designed. This paper explores the central design features of TCS policies--such as eligibility, the tax credit value, credit caps, and academic accountability provisions--and outlines the different approaches taken by the TCS policies in each state. The paper also offers suggestions regarding each feature for policymakers who want to design a TCS policy that most likely to succeed at its central purpose: empowering families to provide their children with the education that works best for them. To that end, the paper recommends designing each policy element in such a way that they maximize the incentive that taxpayers have to contribute to scholarship organizations, maximize the number of families that can benefit from the scholarships, and maximize the freedom and flexibility that scholarship organizations have to serve those families. A summary of these suggestions can be found in the conclusion. Finally, the appendix offers policymakers a wide variety of additional resources, including model legislation, parent satisfaction and public opinion surveys, research of fiscal effects, various policy briefs on tax-credit scholarships, information about the constitutional landscape, and public relations resources. [Introduction by Theodor Rebarber. Foreword by Kendra Espinoza.]

Stressing the need for activities that are amusing, useful, and fun, this paper outlines a family literacy project that provides parents preparing for the General Education Development (GED) test with literacy activities they can do with their children at home. The paper explains that the project was developed for participants of the Indiana Manpower Placement and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT) Program of the State of Indiana. The paper notes that the focus of the program is on the parent as a companion rather than as a tutor (parent and child share and discuss mutual books, interact, listen, and respond to each other). After an introductory section, the paper describes the purpose, assumptions, curriculum, recruitment, resources, and evaluation of the program. The paper presents 17 sample lessons (each about two pages long and focusing on a single book) for use in Adult Basic Education classes. Twenty-eight references, a formative evaluation questionnaire, and a summative evaluation questionnaire are attached. (RS)

With the focus of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on struggling schools and reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) on the horizon, now is the time to have an honest conversation about what people know--and don't know--about school-level trends. To spur this conversation and to help state and local leaders think about how to look at their own data, The Education Trust will publish a series of papers that analyze school performance and improvement. In this paper, the first in the series, the authors look at trends in overall performance and improvement over time. They examine data from two of the ten states they looked at to explore the following questions: What did performance look like several years ago? How big were the annual gains at high-improving schools? How about at low-improving ones? Among the lowest performing schools, how many remained stuck, how many made extraordinary gains, and how many fell somewhere in between? The authors find that some schools that started out low-performing are making substantial progress. Their gains aren't always consistent from year to year, but proficiency rates at these schools are clearly and substantially improving. Most of these schools still aren't performing as well as they should, but students and educators would benefit if state and district leaders figured out what these schools are doing right and scaled up practices that are likely to lead to meaningful gains in learning. Two appendices are included. (Contains 40 figures, 4 tables and 5 notes.)

How do Indiana schools use school discipline? The first briefing paper explored controversies at the national level concerning the philosophy and practice of zero tolerance. That exploration found that many of the assumptions of zero tolerance are not supported by evidence. The data suggest that zero tolerance tends to be associated with a number of negative school outcomes, including school dropout, negative school climate, and racial disparities. This information is mostly from studies at the national level, however, and does not necessarily address school discipline in Indiana. Thus, this briefing paper describes school disciplinary practices in this state. Specifically, it describes trends in the use of out-of-school suspension and expulsion in the state for the 2002-2003 school year, and the school and district characteristics that are associated with the use of suspension and expulsion. It also reports on a survey of Indiana's school principals regarding school discipline. Finally, the report explores the relationship for Indiana's students between student discipline and academic achievement. (Contains 1 table, 9 color enhanced figures, and 21 endnotes.) [This report was published by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, Indiana University, and the Indiana Youth Services Association.]

Since 2016, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), with generous support from Lumina Foundation, has been working with states to explore establishing "promise-type" aid programs for adult students (adult promise programs). SHEEO is currently working with 15 states to implement adult promise programs through 2020: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington. Adult promise programs are programs that: (1) Promote a simple, transparent message that postsecondary education is affordable for adult learners; (2) Make a financial commitment to adult students through leveraging aid from all available sources; and (3) Establish and support programs and services that are tailored to the unique needs of adult students and will help them succeed in postsecondary education. This design template is intended for states, regions, localities, and institutions that are interested in developing promise programs for adult learners. It provides a checklist for those designing adult promise programs and includes examples and specific items to consider as those programs are being designed. The information and concepts presented here should also be useful for those looking to improve adult learner success in postsecondary education outside of the promise program framework. This design template is intended to be used alongside the resources available on SHEEO's Adult Promise website. [For "Adult Promise Program: A Pilot Design Template for States," see ED603885. For the full white paper, "The Power of a Promise: Implications and Importance of Adult Promise Programs. SHEEO Adult Promise Project," see ED603919.]

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 is the fifth administration of this international comparative study since 1995 when first administered. TIMSS is used to compare over time the mathematics and science knowledge and skills of fourth- and eighth-graders. TIMSS is designed to align broadly with mathematics and science curricula in the participating countries. The results, therefore, suggest the degree to which students have learned mathematics and science concepts and skills likely to have been taught in school. In 2011, there were 54 countries and 20 other educational systems that participated in TIMSS, at the fourth- or eighth-grade level, or both. This paper is an appendix to the "Highlights From TIMSS 2011: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context" report. It contains the report's standard error tables. (Contains 42 tables.) [For the full report, "Highlights from TIMSS 2011: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context. NCES 2013-009," see ED537756.]

Annually, ACT provides each state with "The Condition of College & Career Readiness," a report that details the college readiness of students who took the ACT[R] test. This report is a companion to "The Condition of College & Career Readiness." This paper traces the college enrollment, retention, re-enrollment, and migration patterns of the 2010 ACT-tested high school graduates in the state of Indiana. It also provides a snapshot of the impact that benchmark-meeting behavior has on those patterns and, ultimately, on success in college. ACT's research on the knowledge and skills necessary for success in college courses resulted in the establishment of ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks. These benchmarks are ACT subject area scores that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of earning a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. The report also provides recommendations for policymakers and retention recommendations for institutional practice. (Contains 4 footnotes.) [For related report, "The Condition of College & Career Readiness, 2012," see ED534761.]

This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Indiana for 2010. Indiana made changes to its state testing program in 2009, so comparisons to earlier years could not be made for the sake of discerning trends in student achievement. Data on student achievement from earlier years are presented. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 2: Slow and Uneven Progress in Narrowing Gaps", see ED513914.]

Great strides have been made by community school initiatives across the nation in their efforts to impact student achievement, attendance, student engagement, graduation rates, parent involvement and more. Data on community schools is growing and the authors encourage readers to review research reports and syntheses on results. The results presented in this paper were gathered from community schools around the nation from 2007-2009.

The 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized "Blueprint for Change," building off last year's "Yearbook" goals and recommendations. State teacher policy addresses a great many areas, including teacher preparation, certification, evaluation and compensation. With so many moving parts, it may be difficult for states to find a starting point on the road to reform. To this end, this paper provides a state-specific roadmap, organized in three main sections. Section 1 identifies policy concerns that need critical attention, the areas of highest priority for state policymakers. Section 2 outlines "low-hanging fruit," policy changes that can be implemented in relatively short order. Section 3 offers a short discussion of some longer-term systemic issues that states need to make sure stay on the radar. In the 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook", Indiana had the following grades: (1) Delivering Well Prepared Teachers (D); (2) Expanding the Teaching Pool (D+); (3) Identifying Effective Teachers (D); (4) Retaining Effective Teachers (D+); and (5) Exiting Ineffective Teachers (F). Indiana has an overall grade of D for 2009. In the last year, many states made significant changes to their teacher policies, spurred in many cases by the Race to the Top competition. Based on a review of state legislation, rules and regulations, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has identified the following recent policy changes in Indiana: (1) Indiana now requires aspiring teachers to demonstrate basic skills (Praxis I) as a criterion for admission to teacher education programs; (2) Indiana has eliminated the portfolio/mentoring program required for new teachers to advance from an initial license to a professional license. New teachers must instead complete a Beginning Teacher Residency program in which building level administrators assess a new teacher's effectiveness and develop plans for professional improvement; (3) Secondary teachers (5-12) must now major in an applicable content area and minor in education; and (4) Elementary teachers (K-6) must now either major in a content area and minor in education or minor in a content area and major in education. In addition, Indiana has drafted new teacher content standards that now require its teacher preparation programs to provide teacher candidates with training in the science of reading. The new standards also outline in greater detail mathematics content geared to the specific needs of elementary teachers. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 5 figures.) [For the related reports, see "Blueprint for Change: National Summary. State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2010" (ED515614) and "State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2009. Indiana" (ED511886).]

This year the Center on Education Policy (CEP) analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Indiana. Findings reveal that there was a clear upward trend in achievement and progress on achievement gaps in Indiana. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.]

This large-scale evaluation of Indiana's Prime Time, a funding mechanism designed to reduce class size or pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) in grades K-3 examined the academic performance of nearly 11,000 randomly selected third graders on the state mandated standardized achievement test as a function of class size, PTR, and presence of an instructional aid. Data analysis using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) indicated that student achievement was strongly influenced by socioeconomic status (SES) and race. Larger class size related to better composite and mathematics achievement, particularly in higher SES schools. Similarly, the presence of an instructional assistant predicted better achievement in reading, language, and the composite score only in higher SES schools. Analysis of race and class size showed that black students had better achievement in smaller classes, while white students did better in larger classes. HLM analyses of the student-teacher ratio showed pervasive SES and race effects. Better language, mathematics, and composite achievement was associated with classrooms that had Prime Time Assistants in higher SES schools. Better mathematics, reading, and composite achievement related to classrooms with higher PTR. (Contains 16 tables and 16 references.) (SM)

This report describes a study conducted in response to a request for help in establishing decision rules for exempting prospective teachers from a proposed statewide testing requirement in Indiana. Having decided to use Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores as a basis for exempting prospective teachers from the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST), the Indiana Professional Standards Board had to decide how high a score to require on each portion of the SAT as a condition for granting exemption. Data were obtained for nearly 35,000 examinees who took the PPST and the SAT. The statistical technique used to estimate the conditional probabilities was logistic regression. The estimated conditional probability of passing PPST reading and mathematics scores for prospective teachers with SAT verbal and mathematics scores ranging from 300 to 700 was determined. These probabilities are presented in table form. (SLD)

This paper describes the Indiana Professional Standards Board and nine standards for English/language arts teachers. An extensive preface discusses the board, fulfilling the board's mission, a unified system of quality assurance, the core standards, the standards development process, and the standards assessment process. The nine standards address: (1) concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of English/language arts; (2) knowledge of language development and learning theory; (3) knowledge of and adaptation to diverse learners; (4) instructional strategies and curriculum design; (5) learning environment; (6) communication using media and technology; (7) assessment; (8) professional development; and (9) school and community. Each standard includes knowledge statements (describing the body of knowledge critical to successful teaching), disposition statements (describing habitual behaviors which communicate the traits valued by the teaching profession), and performance statements (describing application of that knowledge) used in meeting the standard. Recommendations for developing English/language arts programs for teachers of early childhood and middle childhood, early adolescence, and adolescence and young adulthood; and a draft 17-item glossary are attached. (RS)

Involving middle school students in decision making is an important way to make them feel that they are part of the educational process in their school, that they are part of the "school team." A key way to involve students is through the creation of a Student Advisory Board (SAB), such as the one in place at Schmucker Middle School in Mishawaka, Indiana. Usually one boy and one girl are elected to the SAB from each classroom, and they meet on a monthly basis with four teacher advisors to discuss student comments, complaints, and concerns about field trips, dances, scheduling, and class activities. The SAB student members solicit comments from their classrooms before each monthly meeting and discuss the results of the meeting with their classrooms immediately afterward. The SAB takes up very little class time and provides all students with a sense of ownership and involvement. It also provides feedback to teachers and allows both students and teachers to air complaints and relieve stress. (MDM)

Energy education units (consisting of a general teacher's guide and nine units containing a wide variety of energy lessons, resources, learning aids, and bibliography) were developed for the Indiana Energy Education Program from existing energy education materials. The units were designed to serve as an entire curriculum, resource document, supplementary materials, or as a laboratory manual of "hands-on" activities which could be infused into existing grades 9-12 curricula. Unit VI, focusing on fossil fuels and energy alternatives (solar and coal), consists of an introduction (rationale, unit objectives, and general background information), eight "solar lessons," three "coal lessons," unit resources, bibliography, and teacher evaluation form. Each lesson includes lesson title, objectives, background information, activities, evaluation techniques, and resources. Titles of solar lessons are: (1) All Buildings Are Solar Collectors; (2) The Cardboard Carpenter and the Solar Hot Plate; (3) A Green/Ice House; (4) A Wet Solar Collector; (5) The Sunshine Papers (drawing and designing a solar plate collector); (6) Color Conduction Comparison; (7) Wind Generator; and (8) Second Hand Solar Sources: Savonius Rotors. Coal lesson titles are: (1) Coal and Energy; (2) Types of Mining and Mines; and (3) Problems with Coal and Solutions. (Author/JN)

Intended to encourage the appropriate and informed use of resource sharing mechanisms and services through the establishment of common policies and procedures throughout Indiana, this manual brings together in one document a description of current resource sharing activities in the state, codifies general practices, and provides guidelines based on existing interlibrary loan patterns. In order to facilitate review, use, and revision, it is organized so that each major aspect of resource sharing is dealt with in a separate part. These aspects include interlibrary loan guidelines, reciprocal borrowing, document delivery, and distribution and revision policy and procedure. Within each part the material is arranged so that the policy governing an operation is presented before the procedure by which it is carried out. Policies are printed on white paper and procedures on yellow to facilitate use. Fourteen appendices present additional reference material including a user comment sheet. (RAA)

The 12 states comprising the North Central Region have been affected in similar ways by the farm crisis of the 1980s. Statewide surveys show sizeable proportions of farm operations that are experiencing moderately high levels of financial stress. The problems caused by chronic stress on family structure and functioning, the loss of mainstreet businesses, and bank closing are felt throughout the region. The Cooperative Extension Agencies in the states have approached the problems in similar ways. They have developed new programs with long- and short-term efforts, and they have adapted existing programs with short-term or temporary activities and long-term commitments. Extension has been most heavily involved in developing new, relatively short-term programs such as the use of hotlines, crisis intervention teams, and bankrupcy or bank closing response teams. New, long-term programs include projects and research designed to achieve economic and agricultural diversification. The addition of resources to the existing farm management programs is a good example of an existing short-run program. Many existing, long-term Extension and research programs have been helpful in meeting immediate needs. This document provides 12 papers summarizing the farm crisis and programs designed to deal with it in each of the North Central states. Research needs are enumerated. (JHZ)

National and regional trends mask important variation among states in the supply of high school graduates. This profile provides brief indicators for Indiana related to: current levels of educational attainment, projections of high school graduates into the future, and two common barriers to student access and success--insufficient academic preparation and inadequate finances. This paper contains the following: (1) Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity; (2) Production of High School Graduates; (3) Public High School Graduates by Race/Ethnicity; (4) Composition of Public High School Graduates by Race/Ethnicity; (5) Composite Math and Reading Scores by Race/Ethnicity; and (6) Annual Income by Race/Ethnicity. (Contains 3 endnotes.) [For the complete report, "Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates," see ED540129.]