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HB1176 • 2026

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Children Education Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Jake Teshka
Last action
2026-02-25
Official status
House Bill (H)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the Pokagon Indiana education fund will be used or managed, nor does it specify the conditions for converting multiple public schools into charter schools under one agreement.

Indiana Education Changes

This bill updates Indiana's education laws by changing how schools can become charter schools and requiring parent notification if a student is at risk of failing math.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes rules about converting public elementary or secondary schools into charter schools starting July 1, 2027.
  • Allows the governing body of a school district to convert multiple existing public schools within that district into charter schools under one charter agreement if certain conditions are met.
  • Prohibits the same governing body from being both an authorizer and a participant in innovation network charter schools at the same time.
  • Updates rules for participating innovation network charter schools, allowing organizers to work with more than one school corporation.
  • Requires schools to notify parents if their child is at risk of not meeting grade-level math proficiency.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School districts and public or private institutions of higher learning in Indiana

Terms To Know

Charter school
A public school that is given more freedom to choose its own programs and ways of teaching, but must show it's doing a good job or it can be closed.
Participating innovation network charter schools
Special types of charter schools that work with other schools to share ideas and improve education.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the Pokagon Indiana education fund will be used or managed.
  • It is unclear what specific conditions must be met for a school district to convert multiple public schools into charter schools under one agreement.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1176.02.COMH.AMH10

Committee House Bill (H) • Representative Jeffrey Thompson

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain education funds are returned or 'reverted' in Indiana.

  • Modifies the rules for returning unused Education Savings Account (ESA) funds to the state's general fund.
  • Adjusts the process for returning unused Choice Scholarship Account (CSA) funds to the state.
  • The exact details of how ESA and CSA funds will be reverted are not fully explained in this amendment text, making it hard to know all the specifics.
HB1176.02.COMH.AMH06

Committee House Bill (H) • Representative Gregory Porter

Filed

Plain English: The amendment changes the eligibility requirements for school scholarships in Indiana.

  • Adds new criteria that students must meet to be eligible for certain school scholarships.
  • The specific details of the new eligibility criteria are not provided, making it unclear exactly what additional requirements will apply.
HB1176.02.COMH.AMH07

Committee House Bill (H) • Representative Gregory Porter

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes to add a new section to the Indiana Code that would establish a school scholarship tax credit program.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code to create a school scholarship tax credit program.
  • The official text does not provide details about how the tax credit program will work, such as eligibility requirements or the amount of the credit.
HB1176.02.COMH.AMH08

Committee House Bill (H) • Representative Gregory Porter

Filed

Plain English: This amendment changes how Indiana handles money left over from state tuition support programs.

  • Modifies the rules for handling unused funds in state tuition support programs.
  • The exact details of how these reversions will be handled are not provided, making it unclear what specific changes will occur.
HB1176.02.COMH.AMH12

Committee House Bill (H) • Representative Gregory Porter

Filed

Plain English: This amendment would change how Indiana handles school transportation costs.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code that requires schools to report on their transportation expenses.
  • The exact details of what information must be reported are not specified in this amendment text, so it's unclear exactly how comprehensive or detailed these reports will need to be.
  • It is also unknown if there are any penalties for schools that do not comply with the reporting requirements.
HB1176.04.COMS.AMS16

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Ryan Mishler

Filed

Plain English: This amendment makes various unspecified changes to the Indiana Code concerning education.

  • The exact nature of the changes is not specified in the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not provide specific details about what changes are being made, making it impossible to describe the concrete changes.
HB1176.04.COMS.AMS15

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

Filed

Plain English: This amendment makes various unspecified changes to the Indiana Code concerning education.

  • The exact nature of the changes is not specified in the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not provide specific details about what changes are being made, making it impossible to describe the concrete changes.
HB1176.04.COMS.AMS14

Committee House Bill (S) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

Filed

Plain English: This amendment would change the rules for converting regular public schools into charter schools in Indiana.

  • Adds new requirements and procedures for converting a traditional public school to a charter school.
  • The exact details of the new requirements and procedures are not provided, making it hard to explain specific changes clearly.
HB1176.01.INTR.AMH05

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Jake Teshka

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes changes to the Indiana Code regarding participating innovation network charter schools.

  • Modifies provisions related to participating innovation network charter schools in the Indiana Code.
  • The specific details of how these provisions will be modified are not provided, making it unclear exactly what changes will be made.
HB1176.01.INTR.AMH04

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Robert Behning

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes to add a new section to the Indiana Code that would establish a scholarship program for students.

  • Adds a new section to the Indiana Code to create a scholarship program for eligible students.
  • The official text does not provide details about eligibility criteria, funding sources, or how scholarships will be awarded, making it hard to explain these specifics.
HB1176.01.INTR.AMH03

Committee Introduced House Bill (H) • Representative Jake Teshka

Filed

Plain English: The amendment proposes to create a new Pokagon Indiana Education Fund.

  • Adds language to establish the Pokagon Indiana Education Fund.
  • The specific details about how the fund will be used and managed are not provided in the amendment text.
HB1176.05.COMS.AMS001

Filed House Bill (H) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

X

Plain English: This amendment proposes to change the Indiana Code regarding education, but does not provide specific details about what changes are being suggested.

  • The amendment aims to modify the Indiana Code concerning education, though it does not specify exactly how or what parts of the code will be changed.
  • The official text provided is incomplete and does not give enough information to explain the specific changes proposed by this amendment.
HB1176.05.COMS.AMS002

Filed House Bill (H) • Senator Fady Qaddoura

X

Plain English: This amendment proposes to change the Indiana Code regarding education, but the specific details of what it changes are not provided in the given text.

  • The exact nature and content of the proposed changes to the Indiana Code concerning education are not specified in the provided information.
  • The official amendment text does not provide enough detail about the specific changes being made, making it impossible to explain the concrete change this amendment would make.
HB1176.03.COMH.AMH001

Filed House Bill (S) • Representative Gregory Porter

X

Plain English: This amendment does not provide specific details about changes to the Indiana Code concerning education.

  • The official text of the amendment is incomplete and does not specify any concrete changes or updates to the bill.
HB1176.03.COMH.AMH002

Filed House Bill (S) • Representative Gregory Porter

X

Plain English: This amendment proposes to change the Indiana Code regarding education, but does not provide specific details about what changes are being suggested.

  • The exact nature of the proposed changes is unclear from the provided text.
  • The official amendment text does not specify any concrete changes or updates to the Indiana Code concerning education.
HB1176.03.COMH.AMH003

Filed House Bill (S) • Representative Gregory Porter

X

Plain English: This amendment does not provide specific details about changes to the Indiana Code concerning education.

  • The official text of the amendment is incomplete and does not specify any concrete changes or updates to the bill.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate advisors appointed: Ford J.D., Goode

  2. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate conferees appointed: Rogers, Qaddoura

  3. 2026-02-23 House

    House dissented from Senate amendments

  4. 2026-02-23 House

    Motion to dissent filed

  5. 2026-02-23 House

    House advisors appointed: Lawson, Morris, DeLaney, Pfaff

  6. 2026-02-23 House

    House conferees appointed: Teshka, Smith V

  7. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Returned to the House with amendments

  8. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 204: yeas 31, nays 15

  9. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Senator Donato added as second sponsor

  10. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  11. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Amendment #1 (Qaddoura) failed; Roll Call 169: yeas 14, nays 30

  12. 2026-02-17 Senate

    Amendment #2 (Qaddoura) failed; Roll Call 170: yeas 11, nays 34

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  14. 2026-02-05 Senate

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

  15. 2026-02-02 Senate

    First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development

  16. 2026-01-29 House

    Referred to the Senate

  17. 2026-01-28 House

    Third reading: passed; Roll Call 139: yeas 61, nays 31

  18. 2026-01-28 House

    Senate sponsor: Senator Rogers

  19. 2026-01-28 House

    Representative Lawson added as coauthor

  20. 2026-01-28 House

    Representative Morris added as coauthor

  21. 2026-01-27 House

    Second reading: ordered engrossed

  22. 2026-01-27 House

    Amendment #1 (Porter) failed; voice vote

  23. 2026-01-27 House

    Amendment #2 (Porter) failed; Roll Call 102: yeas 29, nays 64

  24. 2026-01-27 House

    Amendment #3 (Porter) failed; Roll Call 103: yeas 29, nays 64

  25. 2026-01-22 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  26. 2026-01-08 House

    Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

  27. 2026-01-08 House

    Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3

  28. 2026-01-05 House

    Authored by Representative Teshka

  29. 2026-01-05 House

    First reading: referred to Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.
Education matters.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Education matters.

Amends provisions, beginning July 1, 2027, regarding use of the Pokagon Indiana education fund to make payments to Indiana public or private institutions of higher learning or workforce development and training programs. Provides that, in addition to conditions established in current law to convert an existing public elementary or secondary school, an existing public elementary or secondary school may be converted into a charter school if certain other conditions apply. Allows, if the conditions are met, the governing body of a school corporation to: (1) convert more than one existing public elementary or secondary school within the school corporation; and (2) operate two or more conversion charter schools under a single charter. Prohibits the governing body of a school corporation from being the authorizer of a charter school and entering into or having a participating innovation network charter school agreement with the charter school at the same time. Amends provisions regarding participating innovation network charter schools to allow an organizer to enter into an agreement with more than one school corporation. Amends requirements regarding the location of a participating innovation network charter school and terms of an agreement. Amends the duties of the department of education with regard to participating innovation network charter schools. Makes conforming changes, including changes to the complexity index. Requires parental notification if a school determines a student is at risk of not achieving grade level proficiency in mathematics.