HB 1002, HB 1498, HB 1500, HB 1634 and SB 448 / Chamber Supports
Several Chamber-backed education and workforce development measures moved forward last week. The House passed the first phase of a multi-year K-12 school regulatory reform effort in House Bill 1002, as well as House Bill 1498, to move the implementation of a new school accountability and A through F performance ratings to be released by the end of 2026.
The House Education Committee also passed Chamber-backed House Bill 1634, authored by Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty), to provide for early assessment, intervention and expanded teacher preparation in mathematics, where less than half of Indiana students test as “proficient.”
The Chamber also testified in support of House Bill 1500, authored by Rep. Robert Behning (R-Indianapolis), to significantly rework the state’s teacher appreciation grant program to provide grants for bonus or supplemental pay for teachers in high-needs subjects and geographic areas, as well as for high performers. The Chamber strongly supports differentiated pay models for teachers, both to address teacher shortages and for demonstrated instruction success, to support the recruitment and retention of teaching talent throughout the state.
In the Senate, Chamber-supported Senate Bill 448, authored by Sen. Greg Goode (R-Terre Haute), would require the development of a plan to develop market-driven, stackable credentials and qualifications in training programs and support the alignment of postsecondary training and education. The bill passed the Senate Education and Career Development Committee and has been recommitted to Senate Finance because of the fiscal impact.
