This is one of the better articles that I have seen recently on Indiana school funding. It is still confusing, but this is the important point as it pertains to school officials and others who are blaming SEA 1, the recent property tax law, for cuts in their budget: "An analysis from the Legislative Service Agency showed that school property tax levies increased 3.2% in 2026 over 2025. That is still a healthy increase, though much lower than the 6.5% and 6.9% in the two years prior. In 2023, the jump was 11.8%." In other words, it may be true - as the article points out - that schools are facing some challenging financial factors, like inflation; but the blaming of Indiana's property tax reforms is unsubstantiated - unless you think that increases ranging from 6.5% to 11.8% should be the norm. And btw... this article is only about schools. Local governments making the same claims about "cuts" are also talking, in nearly all cases, about reductions in expected increases - not actual cuts. Schools are making cuts even though more money is coming in indianacapitalchronicle.com/…

One of the last things I did while working for the @IndianaChamber was to work with then-member and PNC leader @ConnieBStu to adopt a policy in support of state-funded child care. And shortly following, thanks to the unified work of a broad coalition of business, education and community leaders, the state actually did so. Today, more than ten years later, the issue is no less important and likely far more prominent in policy and political discussions. So in the latest episode of Solutions with @SagamoreInst we were pleased to talk with @emkissling from @EarlyLearningIN and @sam_snideman from @uwci, two of our state's current leaders on the topic. Also appreciative of @maureenweber for her long-time leadership on this issue - and for connecting us with Erin and Sam. We hope you will listen to and enjoy the discussion! 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲: 🎧 YouTube: lnkd.in/gVPe_cpE 🎧 Apple: lnkd.in/gfc6JxMC 🎧 Spotify: lnkd.in/gEZsw9tg 🎧 Amazon: lnkd.in/ge2RujTN

There should be NO place in public life for a person as vile and demented as this Indianapolis City Councilor. Nor should there be room for this in our friend groups. Nor room for such things in debates about our kids and education.

Thank you, Shawanda!! I look forward to working with you! For more info, please follow @RedelmanforIPS

I am quite honored to be endorsed by the parents and other volunteers of @IndianaStand - and I look forward to working with them to address important issues in Indianapolis! For more info, please follow @RedelmanforIPS

Yet ANOTHER reminder that grad rates don’t matter much if the diploma doesn’t stand for something.

Important thread. For all the talk of "brain drain," one simple fact stands out in the data: Hoosiers are not pursuing enough education. In fact, as skills needs have increased, the number of Hoosier kids pursuing post-secondary education has actually declined. In other words, the challenge is less about keeping kids here in Indiana - and more about getting those who do stay to pursue additional education.

Interesting analysis on the perplexing demarcations around school choice - a debate that has been particularly notable in Indianapolis in recent months. Of particular note is the debate around charter schools, which the article calls "the most widespread form of publicly funded options" but which "disproportionately serve black, Hispanic and lower-income students, especially in urban areas." And yet, some of the strongest opposition comes from white Democrats who, as the article notes, have largely exercised their own choices already. The article also notes that "choice critics argue that the focus should instead be on improving traditional public schools." And yet, "for students assigned to underperforming schools, this means waiting indefinitely for reforms that may never arrive, while viable alternatives are blocked." True. The author continues: "Another common concern is that school choice diverts resources from traditional public schools. But this argument confuses institutional interests with student welfare. When a child leaves a traditional public school, the district is responsible for educating one fewer child. Funding that follows students to schools that are serving them better is not a loss to education — it is education working." Also true. And finally, one of the most important points: "rigorous studies find that expanding school choice actually leads to improvements in nearby public schools. When families have options, traditional public schools have stronger incentives to respond." That was certainly the hope when we passed Indiana's charter school law and, to some extent, it has probably been true - but probably not to the point that it could have been. And that, perhaps, is the next big challenge in Indianapolis - to learn from the highly successful lessons of Indy's charter schools so as to help make ALL schools better for our kids and communities. Race, Income and Why Some Democrats Have the Luxury of Opposing School Choice @The74 the74million.org/article/rac…

I have taken a personal interest in this election. More to come….

New national data backs up what we saw in Indiana through @SagamoreInst's Boys & Men work - that boys lost less during COVID and have recovered more since the pandemic, a finding that has run contrary to national dialogue on boys and men. And yet, the finding certainly doesn't lessen the concern about boys and men. Rather, it further highlights the cliff that we saw at the end of high school - as boys, who had done relatively well until that point, graduate high school at lower levels than girls and are far less likely to pursue postsecondary education. As is noted, more work needs to be done on these subjects - and phase II of our work in Indiana is already underway. chalkbeat.org/2026/06/11/gir…

“What really matters is, what is it that these schools were doing?” said Joseph Waddington of the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame, one of eight authors of the study. “We’re not so much interested in telling a story of how did this sector (perform) versus the other sector — we want to understand why. We want to understand the variation.” Once again, solid evidence of charter performance vs traditional public schools; but that should be the start of the conversation, not the end. When we passed Indiana's charter school law in 2001, we had hoped that the lessons from our charter sector would help inform and improve other public schools. That hope has not really materialized much; but I am happy to see that stated purpose as part this latest report. chalkbeat.org/indiana/2026/0…

VERY IMPORTANT!!! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

This report is consistent with previous findings on achievement, but the first to focus on post-COVID recovery. Also important in light of new accountability systems developing both statewide and in Indy. See full thread…

Hamilton Southeastern, which for many years was the fastest growing district in the state, just announced staff layoffs due to enrollment declines. If it is happening there, then is (or will be) happening everywhere…..

Perhaps I’m just stupid or naive, but I have often wondered how so many of these “public servants” become newly minted multi-millionaires within years of landing in DC. Yes, ban stock trading (or put in blind trust?). And maybe term limits? And maybe no pay when any part of the government is shut down? And maybe a requirement that they and their staffs use (and pay!) “marketplace” health care? I could probably think of more….

Fascinating, but not surprising. There was a time when Indiana’s teachers unions would influence such things - back when their PAC was much more influential, perhaps even THE most influential political player in the state. Certainly, for a time, they were the largest contributors to legislative races - indeed, larger than the next 4-5 combined. No exaggeration! And while portraying themselves as education advocates, they actually elected legislative members that would influence ALL parts of Indiana state policy - and nearly always from the liberal/Democrat perspective. And would also scare Republicans away from their positions, for fear that the Union would target them. But alas, no more - at least, not in Indiana. Not sure when the Indiana teacher unions last influenced a consequential race at the state level. But the pinnacle was probably 2012….