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Mastery-based education pilot sent to governor — without option to suspend collective bargaining

The mastery-based pilot program is meant to help students fully understand subject matter before moving on to other topics.
The mastery-based pilot program is meant to help students fully understand subject matter before moving on to other topics.

Indiana lawmakers approved a measure that would, in part, allow schools that undergo a  mastery-based pilot program to suspend certain state regulations. Some educators were concerned schools could suspend collective bargaining, but that provision was removed from  HEA 1515.

The mastery-based pilot program is meant to help students fully understand subject matter before moving on to other topics. But the measure would allow schools to ignore what some of the bill’s critics said is unrelated code.

That includes things like individualized education programs for students with disabilities; teacher training on topics like abuse, neglect and suicide prevention; and teacher performance evaluations to name a few.

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Collective bargaining was originally included in that list, but was removed before final passage of the bill.

The measure’s advocates say suspending some regulations for schools that participate in the pilot will allow those schools to be more innovative with things like class sizes, collaborations and timing.

Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at  kadair@wfyi.org  or follow her on Twitter at  @kirsten_adair .

Kirsten Adair grew up in Greentown, Indiana and graduated from Butler University's College of Communication with a degree in journalism. Before coming to IPB News, Adair was a news reporter at The Kokomo Perspective and Logansport Pharos-Tribune in north-central Indiana. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and cuddling with her two cats.