Ind. Code ch. 20-26.5-2

Ind. Code ch. 20-26.5-2
in effect

Ind. Code § 20-26.5-2-1 Establishment of coalition

Sec. 1. (a) The state board may approve not more than one (1) coalition of continuous improvement school districts under this chapter to offer flexibility and innovation to schools to improve student outcomes. (b) To establish a coalition under this chapter, at least four (4), but not more than a total of eight (8), of any of the following must jointly submit a plan to the state board in a manner prescribed by the state board: (1) A school corporation. (2) An eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7). (3) A state accredited nonpublic school. (c) The plan submitted under subsection (b) must include: (1) a description of the various educational programs that will be offered by members of the proposed coalition; (2) a description that identifies potential coalition member partnerships with: (A) business or industry; (B) postsecondary educational institutions; or (C) community partners; (3) the specific goals and the measurable student outcomes to be obtained by the proposed coalition members; and (4) an explanation of how student performance in achieving the specific outcomes will be measured, evaluated, and reported. If a plan submitted to the state board includes a request to suspend all or portions of IC 20-30 for a proposed coalition, the plan must include how the specific goal of the proposed coalition will be achieved by suspending all or portions of IC 20-30. The state board may approve a plan that proposes to suspend all or portions of IC 20-30 only if the suspension is related to a specific goal of the proposed coalition. (d) The state board may approve a coalition under this chapter if the state board determines that the coalition will: (1) improve student performance and outcomes; (2) offer coalition members flexibility in the administration of educational programs; and (3) promote innovative educational approaches to student learning. (e) The plan approved by the state board under subsection (d) must apply uniformly for each member of the coalition. (f) Upon approval of the coalition by the state board under subsection (d), the state board shall post the following on the state board's website: (1) A copy of the plan approved by the state board under subsection (d). (2) Information describing how a school corporation, an eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7), or a state accredited nonpublic school may submit an application to become a coalition member to the coalition under section 2(b) of this chapter. As added by P.L.190-2018, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.92-2020, SEC.41; P.L.23-2026, SEC.181.

Ind. Code § 20-26.5-2-2 Membership in coalition

Sec. 2. (a) Subject to subsection (b), if the state board approves a coalition under section 1(d) of this chapter, the applicants that jointly submitted an application under section 1 of this chapter become coalition members. (b) In addition to the coalition members described in subsection (a), a school corporation, an eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7), or a state accredited nonpublic school may become a coalition member by submitting an application to the coalition, in a manner prescribed by the coalition. The coalition may submit a recommendation to the state board that an applicant under this subsection should be approved to participate in the coalition. The state board shall approve an application submitted under this subsection. As added by P.L.190-2018, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.92-2020, SEC.42; P.L.214-2025, SEC.98.

Ind. Code § 20-26.5-2-3 Suspension of statutes or rules

Sec. 3. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the following may be suspended for a coalition member in accordance with the coalition's plan: (1) Subject to section 1(c) of this chapter, IC 20-30, concerning curriculum. (2) The following statutes and rules concerning curricular materials: IC 20-26-12-1, except for the provision of curricular materials at no cost to a student in a public school. IC 20-26-12-2, except for the prohibition of renting curricular materials to students enrolled in a public school. IC 20-26-12-24. 511 IAC 6.1-5-5. (3) The following rules concerning teacher licenses: 511 IAC 16. 511 IAC 17. (4) Subject to subsection (c), IC 20-31-3 (concerning the adoption of academic standards). (5) IC 20-31-4.1, concerning the performance based accreditation system. (6) Except as provided in subsection (b), any other statute in IC 20 or rule in 511 IAC requested to be suspended as part of the plan that is approved by the state board under section 1 of this chapter. (b) A coalition member may not suspend under subsection (a)(6) any of the following: (1) IC 20-26-5-10 (criminal history and child protection index check). (2) IC 20-28 (school teachers). (3) IC 20-29 (collective bargaining). (4) IC 20-31 (accountability for performance and improvement), except for IC 20-31-3 and IC 20-31-4.1. (5) Subject to subsection (c), IC 20-32-4 (graduation requirements). (6) IC 20-32-5.1 (Indiana's Learning Evaluation Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN) program). (7) IC 20-32-8.5 (reading improvement and remediation plans). (8) IC 20-33 (students). (9) IC 20-34 (student health and safety measures). (10) IC 20-35 (special education). (11) IC 20-35.5 (dyslexia screening and intervention). (12) IC 20-36 (high ability students). (13) IC 20-39 (accounting and financial reporting procedures). (14) IC 20-40 (government funds and accounts). (15) IC 20-41 (extracurricular funds and accounts). (16) IC 20-42 (fiduciary funds and accounts). (17) IC 20-42.5 (allocation of expenditures to student instruction and learning). (18) IC 20-43 (state tuition support). (19) IC 20-44 (property tax levies). (20) IC 20-46 (levies other than general fund levies). (21) IC 20-47 (related entities; holding companies; lease agreements). (22) IC 20-48 (borrowing and bonds). (23) IC 20-49 (state management of common school funds; state advances and loans). (24) IC 20-50 (homeless children and foster care children). (c) A coalition member must comply with the postsecondary readiness competency requirements under IC 20-32-4-1.5(c). However, notwithstanding any other law, a coalition member may replace high school courses on the high school transcript with courses on the same subject matter with equal or greater rigor to the required high school course and may count such a course as satisfying the equivalent diploma requirements established by IC 20 and any applicable state board administrative rules or requirements. If the coalition member school offers courses that are not aligned with requirements adopted by the state board under IC 20-30-10, a parent of a student and the student who intends to enroll in a course that is not aligned with requirements adopted by the state board under IC 20-30-10 must provide consent to the coalition member school to enroll in the course. The consent form used by the coalition, which shall be developed in collaboration with the commission for higher education, must notify the parent and the student that enrollment in the course may affect the student's ability to attend a particular postsecondary educational institution or enroll in a particular course at a particular postsecondary educational institution because the course does not align with requirements established by the state board under IC 20-30-10. As added by P.L.190-2018, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.267-2019, SEC.1; P.L.92-2020, SEC.43; P.L.126-2022, SEC.4; P.L.201-2023, SEC.167; P.L.5-2024, SEC.4; P.L.150-2024, SEC.20.

Ind. Code § 20-26.5-2-4 Revocation of coalition membership

Sec. 4. The state board may revoke a coalition member's membership in the coalition if the state board determines that the coalition member has not met the specific goals or measurable student outcomes set forth under section 1(c)(3) of this chapter. As added by P.L.190-2018, SEC.2.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/20Fetched: 10/17/2026