Indiana Board of Education votes on funding assurances
INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — The Indiana State Board of Education is supporting modifications to the state tuition rule to ensure full funding for students receiving virtual education.
At its September meeting, the board voted for Executive Director Brian Murphy to modify the state tuition support rule to ensure students who are receiving virtual instruction due to COVID-19 would be funded at the appropriate level.
The board says it determined that moving the fall average daily membership count date was not the best way to assure appropriate funding levels. ADM dates of Sept. 18 and Feb. 1 remain in place.
“I am pleased the State Board of Education took action to implement the Department’s original guidance to provide 100% funding for impacted students who receive virtual instruction due to the pandemic associated with the fall count,” said Indiana Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick. “I am grateful for the many calls and emails made by educators, administrators, parents, and community members to our elected officials. This tireless advocacy created action and change.”
The board says students reported in the February 2020 ADM as attending school in-person who are reported in the September 2020 ADM as attending school virtually due to COVID-19 will be funded as though attending school in-person.
Students reported in the February 2020 ADM as attending school virtually who are also reported in the September 2020 ADM as attending school virtually will continue to be funded at the 85% level.
School corporations that were delivering 100% virtual instruction at the time of the February 2020 ADM will continue to receive 85% of full tuition support for their students.
Earlier this month, Gov. Eric Holcomb stated he would ask the board to delay the official count of K-12 student enrollment until at least December, giving school districts more time to get students back to the classroom and to qualify for full state funding.