SB 358 Indiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Various education matters.

Summary

Requires the department of education (department) to: (1) evaluate, approve, and publish a list of high quality curricular materials for use in English/language arts; and (2) collaborate with teachers in evaluating and approving the English/language arts curricular materials. Provides that the evaluation process for certain curricular materials must include the age appropriateness of the content. Specifies that the curriculum used by a school in which fewer than 70% of students achieved a valid passing score on the determinant evaluation of reading skills must be age appropriate. Requires, subject to available funding, certain schools to participate in the Indiana literacy cadre. Amends the definition of "eligible school" for purposes of the choice scholarship program. Provides that a parent who: (1) is an education scholarship account (ESA) participating entity; and (2) teaches a course or program only to an eligible student who is the parent's child and does not teach a course or program to any other eligible student; may not submit a claim for reimbursement of an ESA qualified expense of tuition and fees to teach the parent's child. Establishes penalties for certain violations by an ESA participating entity.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Senate Bill (S) → Senate Bill (H) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill version was updated with a new section requiring the state education department to compile and submit a comprehensive report on statewide assessment results, including disaggregated data by student demographics and enrollment type. The bill also expanded curricular material evaluation requirements to include an annual report with pricing information and clarified the standards for approving high-quality educational materials.

Scope change

Added new reporting requirements for student assessment data and expanded curricular material evaluation standards

REQUIREMENT

New section requiring the education department to prepare and submit a report on statewide assessment program results and determinant evaluation of reading skills before December 15, 2025, with annual updates thereafter

New requirement that the assessment report must disaggregate results by school corporation, virtual education program, student race, grade, gender, lunch status, and special education eligibility

New annual reporting requirement for curricular material evaluations that includes pricing information and responses from publishers

TIMELINE

Updated bill version number from SB0358.1 to SB0358.2 and changed effective dates from January 31, 2025 to February 14, 2025

TECHNICAL

Removed subsection requiring accreditation agency recognition forms and replaced with new reporting requirements in Section 1

Floor votes · Senate Feb 20, 2025 · House Apr 3, 2025

How they voted

39–10

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 50

Feb 20, 2025

D Democratic10

9 Nay 1

90% Nay

R Republican40

39 Yea 1 Nay

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 6, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

Apr 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed by the President of the Senate

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed by the Speaker

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 555: yeas 58, nays 28

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed by the President Pro Tempore

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 507: yeas 37, nays 12

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Introduced

Senate dissented from House amendments

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third reading: passed; Roll Call 357: yeas 90, nays 0

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third reading: passed; Roll Call 186: yeas 39, nays 10

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations

upper

3 primary · 1 co-sponsor