Indianapolis, IN, March 5, 2026—Teach Plus Indiana celebrates the Indiana State Board of Education’s (SBOE) unanimous approval of the final K-12 accountability rule during yesterday’s state board meeting. This historic model marks a significant shift toward a system that values the individual growth and future preparedness of every Hoosier student. The rule now moves to the Office of the Attorney General for review and will become law when it is signed by Governor Mike Braun. Implementation is expected to begin once this process is complete.
Since 2024, Teach Plus Indiana has partnered with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to ensure classroom reality remained central to policy design. By convening educators statewide, Teach Plus synthesized feedback to help the Department iterate on a model that moves beyond a single test score to a more transparent reflection of a school’s success. This framework is in direct alignment with the recommendations found in the Teach Plus report, Measuring What Matters.
The newly approved model arrives as Indiana’s classrooms see strong momentum, including significant literacy gains and a renewed excitement for mathematics. The new A-F model provides a clear roadmap for continuous improvement by balancing two critical pillars:
- Academic Mastery: Prioritizing proficiency in foundational reading and math while encouraging improvement for all students through academic growth.
- Real-World Skill Attainment: Transparently reflecting the range of experiences—such as work-based learning and credentials of value—that prepare students for college, career, or military service.
“Throughout this process, we have worked alongside the IDOE to ensure this framework reflects the expertise of those who know our students best—our teachers,” said Rachel Hathaway, Executive Director of Teach Plus Indiana. “By valuing both foundational knowledge and the development of real-world skills, this model moves us past the ‘hold harmless’ era toward a stable system that prioritizes the individual progress of every student. Teach Plus is fully invested in continuing to inform the rollout of this new model and we will continue to support our teachers as they inform and lead the implementation of this vision in their schools.”
“For the first time in a long time, this feels like a clear and usable roadmap. A system that balances academic mastery with real-world skill attainment is more honest, more transparent, and far more motivating for schools that are doing the hard work of improvement,” said Jeff Swisher, a high school social studies teacher from Griffith and Teach Plus Indiana Policy Fellowship alumnus.
Teach Plus Indiana looks forward to continuing its partnership with the IDOE during the gradual and thoughtful implementation of this model. As the rollout begins, Teach Plus remains committed to ensuring educators have the transparent, easy-to-understand tools and data infrastructure necessary to turn this policy into a success for every community, school, and student.
About Teach Plus
The mission of Teach Plus is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. teachplus.org/IN/
