(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana State Board of Education (Board) met Wednesday for its February business meeting and approved more than $3.1 million in career ladder grants including grants for Martinsville and Monroe County Schools
The 18 grant recipients submitted plans to develop teacher leadership opportunities for staff. Those recieving the grants are:
- Evansville – 300,000
- Warsaw – 100,000
- Western Wayne – 70,000
- Muncie – 462,750
- MSD Lawrence – 150,000
- Whitley County – 80,000
- MSD Martinsville – 319,640
- Vigo County – 157,440
- Monroe County – 198,000
- Mishawaka – 100,000
- Avondale Academy – 70,000
- Vision Academy – 70,000
- Avondale Middle – 70,000
- Perry Township – 150,000
- Whitko – 468,250
- South Bend – 150,000
- IPS – 150,000
- Indiana Math Science – 80,400
“This grant program is a creative way to compensate teachers for their leadership efforts in schools. Not all veteran teachers want to become administrators, and these career ladder programs offer a chance to increase teacher salaries without them leaving the classroom,” said Pete Miller, Board member.
The career ladder grant program was the result of a collaborative effort with the Indiana State Teachers Association, Teach Plus, and Stand for Children. The grant money was allocated by the Indiana General Assembly (IGA) during the 2019 legislative session. The selection committee consisted of four Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) staff, one Board member, and one Board staff member. Because the total amount requested by the 18 applicants did not exceed the amount appropriated by IGA ($3.5 million), the selection committee unanimously agreed to use the remaining dollars ($353,520) to offer additional grants to develop opportunities for teacher advancement. Materials will be released this month by IDOE.
The Board will next meet on March 4, 2020, in Indianapolis.
