January 2023 Newsletter

Dear John,


January is always a month of celebrations for non-public schools. This week we celebrated both National School Choice Week and National Lutheran Schools Week - and what a week it was! Tuesday, we joined the Lutheran SGO of Indiana for its 10th Anniversary celebration at the Statehouse with more than 40 legislators, student essay winners, families, and educators. Wednesday, we celebrated school choice with our partners at EdChoice and leaders from across state government. Next week, the celebrations continue with Catholic Schools Week, when our 170 member Catholic schools celebrate their contributions to our state and country with the theme “Faith, Excellence and Service”. 


In Indiana, we are blessed to provide Hoosier families the opportunity to choose one of many quality non-public schools to partner with in the education of their children. We have a LOT to celebrate!


John, Andrea, and Beatrice

The INPEA Team

2023 Legislative Session Updates


All bills have now been posted for the 2023 session. Republican and Democrat leadership can still add legislation through “vehicle bills” (legislation placeholders). The Senate currently has 489 bills posted and the House has 673 bills. Of course, most of these bills will not get a hearing. INPEA is currently tracking 83 bills.


The House and Senate Education Committees have met twice this session so far. HB 1558 and HB 1590 have components that deal with the “Science of Reading,” a major emphasis for IDOE and the General Assembly. HB 1590 also would eliminate the requirement for a choice scholarship lottery. The Senate Education Committee has heard eight bills in its first two weeks. One bill of note is SB 305, an ESA expansion bill. It was amended and passed out of committee on Wednesday. It originally called for a universal ESA but in the amendment, financial eligibility was added back in, as well as requiring that half of the allocated funds still be focused on students with special needs. It does open the program to any student and currently seeks 100% of state tuition support dollars, rather than the current 90%. Voucher expansion language is expected in the budget. SB 35 adds a requirement of taking a financial literacy course for graduation. SB 486 would remove some of the teacher training requirements. All of these bills have a long way to go in the process. Stay tuned for these and many more bills that may have an impact on our non-public schools. And please watch for our legislative alerts and be ready to engage! 


It has been a busy month in the Indiana General Assembly. As the bills move out of committee, we will need our stakeholders ready to engage with their legislators. Watch John Elcesser’s legislative engagement video to learn about the importance of being engaged this session.

2023 Legislative Advocacy Video

Our partners at the Institute for Quality Education are also hosting virtual training sessions to prepare non-pub stakeholders to testify at future meetings at the Statehouse. We strongly encourage you to sign up for one of these webinars.


Voucher Testimony Training AM Session

Monday, 01/30/2023 at 12:00 pm ET/11:00 am CT

Register Here

Voucher Testimony Training PM Session

Monday, 01/30/2023 at 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT

Register Here

Legislative Liaison Corner


This information can be copied and pasted into your school communications:


What Will YOU Do to Protect School Choice? 


The Indiana Non-Public Education Association (INPEA) is the voice of non-public schools at the Statehouse. 2023 is a budget year, which means that there could be changes to the Choice Scholarship program. INPEA’s priorities for the 2023 legislative session are:


1. Protect and Defend:

  • Religious Liberty
  • Choice Programs
  • Push Back on Additional Regulations

2. Pursue Further Choice Expansions and Improvements

  • Eliminate Pathways
  • Kindergarten Eligibility
  • Increase Financial Eligibility (Possibly Universal Choice!)
  • Technical Fixes (Birthday Eligibility and Fees)


INPEA needs ALL parents to be engaged this legislative session in order to protect and defend religious liberty and the gains we have made in school choice. Please follow INPEA on Twitter or Facebook and subscribe to their newsletters to stay abreast of what’s happening at the Statehouse. 


Want more information? You can check out the Statehouse Express Podcast and also view the 2023 legislative advocacy video


Interested in testifying at the Statehouse in support of school choice? Our colleagues at the Institute for Quality Education are hosting training sessions on Monday, January 30 to help you prepare for future testimony. There will be two sessions, you only need to attend one. During this training you will learn more about the logistics, process, and how to craft your testimony. These sessions are only 30 minutes long and you can register by clicking the link below.


Voucher Testimony Training AM Session

Monday, 01/30/2023, 12:00 pm ET/11:00 am CT

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwudOyorT0uGNNiR7c74YRvW5xMLobs70_w


Voucher Testimony Training PM Session

Monday, 01/30/2023, 6:30 pm ET/5:30 pm CT

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsc--rqDsuGtep-J5WRhQfSVTL6sCYrL20


INPEA is growing to serve you better!


As INPEA approaches its 50th Anniversary, our Board of Directors has made the commitment to build an organization that can meet the needs of the ever-growing role of the state’s only non-public school association. Over the past 15-20 years, INPEA’s role in the state has grown dramatically, especially with the passage and expansion of school choice. It is imperative, that we have the capacity to serve our members today and tomorrow! One thing that has become apparent over the past number of years is that even though John Elcesser tries to bi- and tri- locate, it’s not really possible. There are committee hearings at the state house, state board meetings, principal and board presentations, work with IDOE staff, school visits, committees to serve on, and many, many zoom meetings to name just a few. To help meet these needs and to better serve you, INPEA will be adding an Associate Executive Director position. You can find the posting HERE. We encourage you to share it with qualified individuals. Our intent at this point is to only post it internally with our membership. We are looking for a dynamic leader who knows INPEA and non-public school education here in the Hoosier state. We also appreciate your prayers for a successful search!  Thanks so much!

INPEC 2023 Call for Presentations


We are looking for presenters to submit exciting, informative, and motivating programming for INPEC 2023! Please encourage your team to submit 30, 60, or 90-minute presentation proposals related to any of our nine learning strands:

  • Leadership
  • Early Learning
  • The Science of Reading
  • Universal Design/Special Education
  • Effective Instructional Practices
  • All Things Indiana
  • Supporting Student and Staff Wellness
  • Innovations in Education
  • The Business of Schooling


Proposals are due by February 10. For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.

Understanding Equitable Services: A Virtual Workshop for Building Level Administrators

February 7-9, 2023

2:00 – 3:30 PM ET


Catapult Learning is pleased to host a three-day series of workshops specifically for building level administrators. These workshops will cover the essentials of understanding equitable services through federal education programs for students attending private schools. The content is tailored to those who are school principals and find themselves responsible for working with their local public school district to ensure federal education program services for their students. Each day will cover Title I, IDEA, professional development, English learners, and academic support services. If you are a building level administrator, please join us!


February 7, 2023: Services

February 8, 2023: The Consultation Process

February 9, 2023: Funding

Register Today!

Strong community partners help students shine

 

Did you know? Up to two-thirds of disparities in student academic achievement can be explained by out-of-school factors tied to inequities such as housing instability, food insecurity, and unequal access to health care and enrichment programs. When a child is focused on when their next meal will be or where they’ll sleep that night, they cannot focus on learning. That’s where City Connects comes in. City Connects is a comprehensive, integrated student support practice that takes a systemic, cost-effective, multi-year approach to address the out-of-school factors that limit student learning. Jelena Soots, a City Connects site coordinator in Indianapolis, explains what led her to the practice.

 

“I was drawn to City Connects because my family and I are immigrants. And in the forefront of my mind is, what would have helped me as a child? What if we had this option back then? That’s how I shifted into the mindset of thinking about what kids need based on who they are.”

 

Soots and her family immigrated from Croatia in the 1990s when the country was at war. They lived in a refugee camp in Germany and applied to refugee programs run by churches. They were chosen by a church in Indiana. Now, she’s helping students by building community partnerships that can provide services to those who need them.

 

Thanks to her work, a school food pantry was established, so students can take a backpack of food home on Friday to ensure they have weekend meals. A mentorship program has been created through the L.A.S.E.R. Project, which now runs a boys’ and girls’ group covering life skills like how to make friends and tie a tie. Students will soon also have access to free swim lessons and lifeguard training, which can lead to summer jobs, through the Riviera Club Foundation, the philanthropic arm of a private country club. All of this—and more—is in addition to the individualized-student and whole-class reviews Soots conducts with a Student Support Team each school year.

 

The work of Soots, and site coordinators like her, is instrumental in providing all students the tools and resources to shine every day. Learn more about Soots’ story and the work she’s doing to support students by clicking here.

 

Partnerships like the ones established in City Connects schools are instrumental in addressing the needs of students—both inside and outside the classroom. The Marian University Center for Vibrant Schools can help schools implement practices like City Connects and build valuable community partnerships. Visit marian.edu/vibrantschools or email vibrantschools@marian.edu to learn more.

Spring 2023 Updates from Ivy Tech

 Kate Wallace, Executive Director of Student Communications

Ivy Tech Community College


Ivy Tech Community College offers more than 70 programs and each one leads to a great career. Our alumni are working at companies such as Lilly, Community Health Network, Toyota, Salesforce, and more!

 

Ivy Tech offers associate degrees, short-term certificates, and workforce certifications in fields where workers are needed most, so you can be ready to get started in a career quickly. With over 70 academic programs, you’ll be able to find your fit for the next step in your career.

 

Get started by filling out our free application. Visit ivytech.edu/apply to get started. We look forward to welcoming you this New Year to one of our 40 locations across the state of Indiana.

IDOE Updates


GPS Dashboard Enhancements Deployed 


The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has deployed the first round of enhancements to its new Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed Dashboard (Indiana GPS) – a resource that is constantly evolving in response to the needs of Indiana’s students, communities and employers. The most recent enhancements allow users to drill down into longitudinal and disaggregated data, showing data over time by student population.


When first accessing the statewide-, district- and school-level summary pages within Indiana GPS, users can see a snapshot of student performance over multiple measures. From there, users can hit the “Explore” button to drill down further into the data, as well as learn more about how the indicator is calculated and how it connects to the five key characteristics which best indicate a student’s preparation for success after high school.


The development of Indiana GPS follows the enactment of House Enrolled Act 1514, passed in 2021 directing IDOE and the Indiana State Board of Education to develop a school performance dashboard that promotes transparency and multiple student measures, including longitudinal measures. The development of this dashboard is an iterative process and will continue to be improved over time, with new data and features added. To learn more about the development of the Indiana GPS performance dashboard, click here. To explore the dashboard, visit indianagps.doe.in.gov


Title IV Fund Extension

FFY20 Title IV funds have been extended for an additional year. This means you will be able to continue to purchase items from this grant and you’ll be able to make additional amendments if you need to change how the funds are allocated. 


  • January 6, 2023 through August 31, 2023 - The last day to submit an amendment window for this grant.
  • September 30, 2023 - The last day to encumber (obligate) funds; all activity must be complete by this date. 
  • December 15, 2023 - The last day to liquidate funds; all funds must be requested for reimbursement by this date. 



Grant Calendar and State Ombudsman Office Hours 

For a comprehensive list of grants pertaining to non-public schools, please check out this Grant Calendar


Garrett Wilson has recurring office hours to handle federal grant questions every Thursday from 2:00-2:30 p.m. You can join his office hours here

XR Technologies is Now MathTrack!


For school leaders who are concerned about current and/or future math teacher vacancies, MathTrack provides the fastest and most effective way to train, license, and prepare new math teachers to provide personalized math instruction for students. 



Whether you are a school leader with an immediate math vacancy or you think you could have one next school year, we would welcome a conversation with you about how we can help.  Furthermore, through the IDOE’s HB1008 initiative for a limited time, there is funding support available for schools to take strategic and immediate action on this problem.  For information, please email us at info@mathtrack.co or visit MathTrack.co.

Indiana Learns Updates


ILEARN is approaching quickly! You may have students eligible for grant funds for high dosage out-of-school tutoring through Indiana Learns, a statewide enrichment grant program. 


In an effort to support the enrollment of eligible students into the program, we are asking schools to take action in the following ways:


1. Share a link to our website on your school’s website by copying and

pasting the following: Check Eligibility for a Tutoring Grant!

2. Share the following message with your eligible families:

ILEARN 2023 is in April. Qualifying 4th and 5th grade families have

$500 tutoring grants available NOW. Visit www.indianalearns.org and

input the STN and birthdate. If you qualify, you can claim the award

and begin tutoring today.


Finally, we hope you will consider matching funds for your eligible students. Your match of $250 per eligible student will give those students access to $1,000 rather than $500 to be spent on high dosage tutoring with approved providers. Thank you to those schools/corporations who have already completed the matching process!


If you would like to match funds or have any questions, feel free to reach out to Alli Vanneman at avanneman@indianalearns.org

Free COVID-19 Test Kits Available 


The Indiana Department of Health’s (IDOH’s) partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits to schools has been extended for the spring 2023 semester. 

As a reminder, this optional program will provide each month free, over-the-counter COVID-19 tests to your school. The tests are for distribution by the school nurse or designee to students and staff who present with COVID-like symptoms to test at home.  


Use this link to submit your monthly order. Only ONE order should be placed for your school with a single delivery site for delivery of the tests each month. Schools not affiliated with a school corporation should complete one order to supply the school. For example, a private school with three buildings should place one order to provide for all buildings, delivering to the three schools from the central location.

The following is the schedule for placement of test orders and then when schools can expect to receive their orders. 


IDOH REDCap Order Deadlines (deadlines can’t be changed):

  • Feb.12 – tests will be delivered in March (please have someone available to receive the shipment if you are on spring break)
  • March 12 – tests will be delivered in April (please have someone available to receive the shipment if you are on spring break)
  • April 12 – tests will be delivered in May
  • May 12 – tests will be delivered in June (please have someone available to receive the shipment if you are closed for summer break)


If you have questions, please contact Lorrie Ramsey at backtoschool@isdh.in.gov

Thank You to Our Business Partners!
Contact: Rob Pizzurro
Contact: Mike Rivard
Contact: Joy Roberts
Contact: Paula Latvenas

Contact: Cathy Tooley

Contact: Dr. Ken Britt

Contact: Dr. Kevin Berkopes

Contact: Alex Urrea

Would you like to be come an INPEA Business Partner or know a business that would be a good fit? Check out our website here or contact John Elcesser at jelcesser@inpea.org for more information!
Jurisdictions

Agudath Israel of America

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Association of Christian Schools International

Christian Schools International

Diocese of Evansville

Diocese of Fort Wayne- South Bend

Diocese of Gary

Diocese of Lafayette

Indiana Association of Independent Schools

Indiana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - Indiana District

The Lutheran School Partnership

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Mission
The Indiana Non-Public Education Association serves as an advocate,
promotes engagement, and strives for the advancement of non-public schools. 
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