(Plainfield, IN) – The United States Department of Education (ED) has approved a change that gives Indiana more control over how it uses federal education dollars.
During a visit to Plainfield High School on Tuesday, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon joined Gov. Mike Braun and Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner to announce the approval of Indiana’s “Returning Education to the States Waiver.”
It allows the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to combine five federal funding streams into one, similar to the waivers ED previously approved for Iowa and Louisiana.
This will permit the state to consolidate approximately $50 million in federal funds over the next four years into one pot of money, giving state and local schools more flexibility in deciding how to spend those dollars.
The waiver also allows Indiana to launch a pilot with 15 percent of its local educational agencies (LEAs) that would let those school districts consolidate two federal funding programs (Elementary and Secondary Education Act Titles II-A and IV-A), so they can direct these funds to the areas where students need additional support and no longer have to track each program separately.
In addition, the waiver will align state and federal high school accountability, so that Indiana no longer has to maintain two separate accountability systems.
State officials say this action will allow Indiana to place greater emphasis on college- and career-readiness metrics in its high school accountability system, while maintaining academic achievement.
This is in line with Indiana’s goal of ensuring that all students graduate ready for their next step, whether that includes enrollment, employment, or enlistment and service.
Indiana recently redesigned its diploma system to encourage more students to complete high-quality work-based learning and earn a credential of value before graduating high school.
The waiver will also reduce compliance costs, allowing nearly $20 million in state and local funds to be redirected from bureaucratic red tape to the classroom over four years.
Indiana to combine several federal education funding programs into one pot of money, giving state and local schools more flexibility in deciding how to spend that money.
State leaders say the goal is to reduce paperwork and move more money into classrooms to help students.
“Granting Indiana’s waiver is another decisive step in the Trump Administration’s commitment to returning education to the states,” said McMahon. “Not only does this waiver provide greater flexibility for Indiana to serve its students the way it knows best, but it also helps to align education with the evolving needs of the workforce. Congratulations to Indiana on these innovative solutions to improve student academic achievement and free up state resources from federal bureaucratic red tape.”
“In Indiana, education is built on choice. With this waiver, we are taking the next logical step for choice in Indiana education by giving our state more flexibility to use federal education dollars in the way that works best for Hoosier students,” said Gov. Braun. “Indiana will continue setting the standard for education in the United States.”
“With the opportunity to request this waiver, we had a choice to make in Indiana: continue with the status quo or seize this moment to remove federal barriers and more urgently move the needle for students,” said Dr. Jenner. “Our waiver is focused on one simple goal—maximizing every federal dollar to make it better for students. By clearing unnecessary red tape and increasing our ability to deploy innovative solutions, we can empower local leaders to make decisions that best serve their communities, direct more resources into classrooms, and ultimately, expand opportunities for Hoosier students.”
Click here to read the official letter from Secretary McMahon to Dr. Jenner.
