§ 20-31-9.5-9.5 — Establishment of transformation zones

Indiana § 20-31-9.5-9.5

• Jurisdiction: Indiana
• Title 20: EDUCATION
• Art. 31: ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PERFORMANCE AND
• Ch. 9.5: Transformation Zones

Text

5. (a) The governing body of a school that
has been placed in the lowest two (2) categories or designations may
submit a plan to the state board to create a transformation zone within
the school corporation. A plan may be developed with the assistance of
the department. After June 30, 2021, the state board may not use the
establishment of a transformation zone under this section as an
intervention in a particular school corporation to improve school
performance.
(b) The state board shall grant the designation as a transformation
zone unless the state board concludes that the submitted plan does not
substantially meet the criteria set forth in this section. All plans must
be submitted to the state board not later than April 15, 2016, or April
15 each year thereafter. All plans must be approved or denied by the
state board not later than July 1 of the first year of implementation.
(c) Each plan must include the following information:
(1) An organizational chart that demonstrates that the leader of
the transformation zone reports directly to the school corporation's
superintendent.
(2) A description of the innovations the school corporation will
implement, which may include:
(A) innovations in school staffing;
(B) curriculum and nonmandated assessments;
(C) class scheduling;
(D) the length of the school day or year;
(E) the use of financial and other resources;
(F) teacher recruitment, employment, and compensation; and
(G) other innovations.
(3) The objective annual student performance and growth or
improvement performance gains that the school corporation
expects to achieve over the next five (5) years.
(4) A budget demonstrating financial sustainability of the
transformation zone.
(5) A description of any regulatory or district policy requirements,
subject to the state board's approval, that would need to be waived
for the school corporation to implement the transformation zone.
(d) Subject to subsection (e), a school within the transformation
zone is not subject to IC 20-29 unless the school corporation
voluntarily recognizes an exclusive representative under IC 20-29-5-2.
If the school corporation voluntarily recognizes an exclusive
representative under IC 20-29-5-2, the school corporation may
authorize a school within the transformation zone to opt out of
bargaining allowable subjects or discussing discussion items by
specifying the excluded items on the notice required under IC 20-29-5-2(b). Such notice must be provided to the education
employment relations board at the time of the notice's posting.
(e) Subsection (d) applies only to a school that has been designated
as a transformation zone following the third consecutive year in the
lowest performance category or designation.
(f) For any collective bargaining agreement under IC 20-29 entered
into after June 30, 2022, a governing body is not bound by its collective
bargaining agreement for employees of a transformation zone
established under this section. Employees of a transformation zone may
organize and create a separate bargaining unit to collectively bargain
with the entity operating the transformation zone under IC 20-29. The
entity operating the transformation zone is considered the school
employer for purposes of IC 20-29.
(g) All plans approved under this chapter shall be sent by the state
board to the education employment relations board not later than
fifteen (15) days after the plan's approval.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.223-2015, SEC.14. Amended by P.L.211-2021, SEC.31; P.L.140-2022, SEC.3.