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Lawmakers consider education mastery program — includes collective bargaining, IEP rules roll backs

By Kirsten Adair

Posted April 1, 2025

Some lawmakers said they are concerned with the scope of flexibility for schools that participate in the pilot program, especially when it comes to collective bargaining. Participating schools could choose to forgo the collective bargaining process. (WFIU/WTIU)

Indiana lawmakers are considering a new pilot program that would emphasize mastery-based education — a teaching approach that focuses on the mastery of specific skills or knowledge rather than the amount of time spent in a classroom.

The proposed pilot is an amendment to SB 373. It's an already wide-ranging education bill. House lawmakers are expected to vote on the amendment Wednesday.

School corporations and charter schools that participate in the pilot program could be exempt from certain regulations like collective bargaining; training for things like abuse, neglect and suicide prevention; and teacher performance evaluations.

The pilot program would last at least three years and be overseen by the Indiana Department of Education. Schools that are accepted into the pilot would have to post detailed plans for their programs on their websites.

Rep. Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis) wrote the proposed amendment. He said the goal is to provide schools with more flexibility to improve student outcomes.

“Part of the discussion when you move into a mastery-based education system, you could look at class size differently. You look at collaboration differently. You look at the amount of time a teacher teaches a little differently,” he said.

But some other lawmakers said they are concerned with the scope of that flexibility, especially when it comes to collective bargaining.

“If you’re moving toward mastery-based learning and outcome-based learning — and I agree with that concept, and like I said, we’ve been doing it for years. My concern is: Why do you have to deal with all these other elements?” said Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary).

The measure could also exempt participating schools from some teacher education requirements, rules about individualized education programs for students with disabilities and code that allows schools to terminate a superintendent’s contract for misconduct or willful neglect of their duty.

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