Indiana wants flexibility in how it spends federal education dollars

Axios

4 days ago

Indiana wants more flexibility in how it spends federal education dollars designated for improving struggling schools, boosting programming for students learning English, and other specific initiatives.
Why it matters: If approved, the flexibility could change where the dollars get directed and how they're spent, raising concerns that the money could flow away from students and schools in need of extra support.
Driving the news: Late last month, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to states inviting them to seek waivers from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) — a decades-old law meant to improve quality and address educational inequities.
Indiana, Iowa and Oklahoma had already submitted flexibility waivers to the department.
The big picture: The invitation for states to seek flexibility is in line with larger efforts to move money and decision-making away from the Education Department. President Trump signed an executive order in March to dismantle the department, and nearly half the workforce was slashed that same month.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said Trump is "taking the bureaucracy out of education so that more money flows to the states."
"Better education is closest to the kids, with parents, with local superintendents, with local school boards," she said in an interview with Fox News in March. "I think we'll see our scores go up with our students, and we can educate them with parental input as well."
Zoom in: Indiana's waiver request asks for flexibility in spending the nearly $25 million in annual school improvement funds it receives, allowing it to spend those dollars at more schools — beyond those identified as needing improvement.
It's also asking to receive its title funds — those meant for specific programs, such as professional development, supporting at-risk students, and English language acquisition — in a block grant, allowing those dollars to be used for any of the eligible title programs.
Doing so would reduce time spent on compliance, the state says.
Currently, the Indiana Department of Education allocates approximately $2.5 million annually in staff time to meet ESEA compliance requirements, according to the application.