News Release

INDIANA — As summer dwindles to a close, students gear up to head back to their classrooms in August. With a new school year, comes new legislation and new school policies.

Cell Phone Ban

Although it is left up to each school district to write its policy, a new Indiana law requires school districts to ban cell phone and “any portable wireless device” from class time. The ban laid out in the new legislation includes cell phones, tablets, laptops and gaming systems. There are some exceptions to the legislations for educational purposes, emergencies and healthcare.

More, But Shorter State Tests

In the 2023-24 school year, the Indiana Department of Education piloted a checkpoint-based system, ILEARN, rather than utilizing one high-stake end-of-the-year exam. The goal of this change is to make the data more accessible, and therefore actionable, throughout the school year for the students, families and school educators and administration.

According to the department, over 70% of schools opted “in” to participate in the pilot program. The pilot program will consist of three checkpoints throughout the academic year and a shortened, summative end-of-year assessment. All school systems are expected to adopt the program for all students in the 2025-26 academic year.

Chronic Absenteeism

Per new legislation on truancy prevention, parents of chronically absent students, aged kindergarten through sixth grade, will be required to meet with school officials to create a plan and receive additional services to help improve attendance. Additionally, the law requires the school officials to report truants students to the prosecutor’s office and requires prosecutors to explain to parents they can be held legally accountable.

More Students Held Back

Due to new literacy legislation, more students could have to repeat the third grade dependent on the student’s passing of the IREAD-3 exam. There are numerous exemptions, including IEPs and some English learners.

COVID Relief Funding Ends For Schools

School districts will have until September to submit the third and final round of federal COVID funding — also known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief.