Ind. Code ch. 20-43-16

in effect

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-1 "Grant"

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "grant" means a teacher appreciation grant awarded by the department to a school corporation or charter school under this chapter. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-2 "Program"

Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to the teacher appreciation grant program established by section 3 of this chapter. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-3 Establishes teacher appreciation grant program; purpose

Sec. 3. (a) The teacher appreciation grant program is established to provide grants for each state fiscal year to school corporations and charter schools to attract, reward, and retain teachers who significantly impact student outcomes. (b) The department, in consultation with the state board, shall administer the program. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-4 Grant eligibility

Sec. 4. To be eligible for a grant under the program, a school corporation or charter school must meet the following: (1) Apply in a manner prescribed by the department. (2) Identify not more than twenty percent (20%) of certified teachers as eligible grant recipients annually based on criteria outlined in section 5 of this chapter. (3) Report how each recipient met the criteria outlined in section 5 of this chapter. (4) Meet any other requirements established by the department. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-5 Permissible uses of grant money

Sec. 5. (a) A grant received by a school corporation or charter school, may only be used to pay stipends within the amounts described in section 8 of this chapter to one (1) or more teachers selected by the school corporation or charter school who: (1) have instructed students in a school or district for at least one (1) school year prior to the grant distribution year; (2) maintain employment at the same school or district at the time of the grant distribution; (3) are determined to significantly impact student outcomes using national, state, or local assessment measures; and (4) are designated in one (1) of the categories described in section 6 of this chapter. (b) A grant received by a school corporation or school may be used to pay the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and Indiana state teachers' retirement fund costs associated with distributing a stipend under this chapter. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198. Amended by P.L.159-2026, SEC.21.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-6 Grant amount criteria

Sec. 6. (a) Grant amounts distributed to a teacher described in section 5 of this chapter must meet the criteria as set forth in this section for: (1) a "recognition" stipend; (2) an "exemplary" stipend; or (3) an "exemplary plus" stipend. (b) A school corporation or charter school must apply the following criteria in evaluating a teacher for a stipend designation under subsection (a): (1) For a recognition stipend designation, whether the teacher demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes. (2) For an exemplary stipend designation, whether the teacher: (A) demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes; and (B) meets one (1) of the following: (i) Mentors or coaches another teacher to improve student outcomes, or provides instructional leadership to improve student outcomes across multiple classrooms. (ii) Serves in a high need or geographic shortage area as determined by the department based on educator supply and demand. (3) For an exemplary plus stipend designation, whether the teacher: (A) demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes; (B) mentors or coaches another teacher to improve student outcomes, or provides instructional leadership to improve student outcomes across multiple classrooms; and (C) serves in a high need or geographic shortage area as determined by the department based on educator supply and demand. (c) A school corporation or charter school may establish additional criteria in evaluating a teacher for a designation under subsection (a). As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-7 Creation of a rubric

Sec. 7. (a) The department shall create a rubric for use by school corporations and charter schools under this chapter. (b) The rubric must include: (1) student assessment data if student assessment data is available for the applicable grade level or class; and (2) expectations for the roles, responsibilities, and duties of a mentor teacher, which include providing professional development and guidance to new teachers. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-8 Stipend amounts

Sec. 8. The amount of the stipend that a school corporation or charter schools may distribute to a teacher for a state fiscal year under this chapter must be within the following amounts: (1) For a teacher who receives a stipend for a recognition designation, three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500). (2) For a teacher who receives a stipend for an exemplary designation, five thousand dollars ($5,000). (3) For a teacher who receives a stipend for an exemplary plus designation, seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500). As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-9 Administration of grant program by lead school corporations and interlocal cooperatives

Sec. 9. Subject to the requirements of this chapter, the lead school corporation or interlocal cooperative administering a cooperative or other special education program or administering a career and technical education program, including programs managed under IC 20-26-10, IC 20-35-5, IC 20-37, or IC 36-1-7, shall award stipends to and carry out the other responsibilities of an employing school corporation under this chapter for the teachers in the special education program or the career and technical education program. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-10 Distribution of teacher appreciation grants; proportional reduction

Sec. 10. (a) The department may award a grant under this chapter each state fiscal year to a school corporation or charter school that meets the requirements of this chapter. (b) If the total amount to be distributed as teacher appreciation grants for a particular state fiscal year exceeds the amount appropriated by the general assembly for teacher appreciation grants for that state fiscal year, the total amount to be distributed as teacher appreciation grants to school corporations and charter schools shall be proportionately reduced so that the total reduction equals the amount of the excess. (c) The department shall distribute all teacher appreciation grants awarded for a state fiscal year to the school corporations and charter schools awarded the grants before April 15 of the applicable state fiscal year. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-11 Distribution of teacher stipends

Sec. 11. A school corporation or charter school that receives a grant for a state fiscal year under this chapter shall do the following: (1) Distribute all stipends from the grant to individual teachers not later than sixty (60) business days after the date the department distributes the grant to the school corporation or charter school. (2) Not later than June 30 of the applicable state fiscal year, return any part of the grant not distributed as stipends to teachers. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-12 Stipends not subject to collective bargaining and in addition to salary

Sec. 12. A stipend to an individual teacher in a particular year is not subject to collective bargaining and is in addition to the minimum salary or increase in salary set under IC 20-28-9-1.5. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-13 Rules

Sec. 13. The state board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 as necessary to implement this chapter. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Ind. Code § 20-43-16-14 Expiration

Sec. 14. This chapter expires June 30, 2027. As added by P.L.213-2025, SEC.198.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/20Fetched: 10/17/2026