The Indiana State Board of Education is letting four private schools accept more students paying with state vouchers under a new law allowing underperforming schools to avoid penalties.
Board members voted 6-2 Wednesday to grant the waivers after three of the schools didn't receive enough votes to win approval last month. The waivers were granted for Fort Wayne's Lutheran South Unity School and three Indianapolis schools — Central Christian Academy, Turning Point and Trinity Lutheran.
Voucher schools that receive state ratings of D or F for consecutive years can be barred from accepting new voucher students until school grades improve. The Republican-dominated Legislature this spring approved a law allowing the board to give one-year waivers so private schools can keep accepting new voucher students and additional state funding.