INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana students are set to face more challenging math classes this school year due to a new law aimed at accelerating academic success.

Under the new legislation, Indiana middle schools will automatically enroll students who meet specific academic criteria into advanced math courses. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance student performance in mathematics across the state.

“The law is very clear – we have to implement it for this school year,” said Jeff Butts, superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. “We communicated with parents on June 4. We are ready to implement right away, and we are on day three of school. Our students are taking those classes as we speak.”

School districts and charter middle schools are now required to reassess how they screen, evaluate, and intervene in student math performance. This includes early assessments to identify both struggling students and those ready to advance.

The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township has been proactive in preparing for this change. “We watched this legislation carefully as it went through the session,” Butts explained. “So, once it passed in April, we started to prepare right away and were looking at our students’ scores as soon as they came in.”

The law also emphasizes the importance of teacher preparation programs, calling for stronger math content and curriculum requirements to ensure future educators are well-equipped to teach math effectively.

State Rep. Jake Teshka, the author of the law, highlighted the need for improvements in teacher preparation. “One of the things that we did with this bill was to address the teacher preparation programs and ask them to step up their game when it comes to instructing our future classroom educators,” Teshka said.

The Indiana Department of Education is tasked with tracking and reporting enrollment data, detailing which students are taking advanced math and where. Parents retain the right to opt their children out of advanced math courses if they feel the track is not suitable for their child.

With these changes, Indiana aims to push its students toward greater academic achievement in mathematics, potentially setting a precedent for educational reform across the nation. “We want to make sure we are appropriately pushing our students to excel,” Teshka added.

About The Author

See author's posts