Ind. Code ch. 20-31-4.1

Ind. Code ch. 20-31-4.1
in effect

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-1 "Legal standards"

Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "legal standards" means Indiana statutes and rules adopted by the state board that apply to each school for accreditation. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-2 Accreditation of schools

Sec. 2. (a) A school in Indiana shall be accredited under the system established by this chapter if the school meets legal standards as determined by the state board. (b) The state board shall establish a performance based accreditation system for accrediting schools in Indiana under this chapter. (c) The department shall waive accreditation standards for an accredited nonpublic alternative school that enters into a contract with a school corporation to provide alternative education services for students who have: (1) dropped out of high school; (2) been expelled; or (3) been sent to the nonpublic alternative school due to the students' lack of success in the public school environment; to accommodate the nonpublic alternative school's program and student population. A nonpublic alternative school to which this subsection applies is not subject to being placed in a category or designation under IC 20-31-8-4. However, the nonpublic alternative school must comply with all state reporting requirements and submit a school improvement growth model on the anniversary date of the nonpublic alternative school's original accreditation. (d) The state board may accredit a nonpublic school under this chapter at the time the nonpublic school begins operation in Indiana. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69. Amended by P.L.214-2025, SEC.167.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-2.5 School application for accreditation

Sec. 2.5. (a) A school that seeks accreditation under this chapter shall submit to the state board a completed application for accreditation form established by the state board. (b) The state board shall, not later than six (6) months after the date a school submits a completed application for accreditation form under this section, approve or deny accreditation to the school. (c) If the state board denies a school accreditation under this section, the state board shall send a notice to the school stating the reasons for denying accreditation of the school. (d) The department shall post a copy of the application for accreditation form as required under IC 20-19-3-21. As added by P.L.171-2023, SEC.3.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-3 Accreditation of charter schools

Sec. 3. The state board shall accredit a school that: (1) becomes a charter school under IC 20-24; and (2) complies with the requirements under IC 20-24. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69. Amended by P.L.214-2025, SEC.168.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-4 Request to waive certain requirements

Sec. 4. (a) Subject to subsection (b) and section 7 of this chapter, a school or group of schools accredited under this chapter may submit an application to the state board, in a manner prescribed by the state board, requesting flexibility and to waive compliance with any provision in this title or 511 IAC in order to do one (1) or more of the following: (1) Improve student performance and outcomes. (2) Offer the applicant flexibility in the administration of educational programs or improve the efficiency of school operations. (3) Promote innovative educational approaches to student learning. (4) Advance the mission or purpose of the school or group of schools. (b) The application submitted under subsection (a) must include the following: (1) A list of the one (1) or more provisions in this title, 511 IAC, or this title and 511 IAC that the school or group of schools is requesting that the state board waive. (2) The following information: (A) The specific goal or outcome or goals or outcomes that the school or group of schools intends to achieve by waiving the provisions described in subdivision (1). (B) How the specific goals or outcomes described in clause (A) are likely to be achieved by waiving compliance with the provisions described in subdivision (1). (3) For an application submitted by: (A) the governing body of a school corporation, a copy of the resolution adopted by the governing body approving the submission of the application; (B) a charter school, written authorization by the charter school organizer approving the submission of the application; or (C) a nonpublic school, written authorization by the person or agency in active charge and management of the nonpublic school approving the submission of the application. (c) To be eligible to waive IC 20-30-2-3 for the purposes of conducting a four (4) day school week at a school, a school must meet the following requirements: (1) Provide transportation to a school that conducts a five (5) day school week that serves the same grade level for any student who would otherwise be assigned to a school that conducts a four (4) day school week. (2) Be placed in the highest performance and improvement category or designation by the department under IC 20-31-8. (3) Meet the minimum teacher salary threshold under IC 20-28-9-26. (4) Provide enrichment and remediation opportunities on the day that a regular school day is not conducted at no cost to a parent of a student or student. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69. Amended by P.L.11-2023, SEC.66; P.L.159-2026, SEC.14.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-5 Approval by state board

Sec. 5. (a) The state board may approve an application to waive compliance with provisions described in section 4 of this chapter only if the waiver request is related to a specific goal or outcome of the school or group of schools. (b) The state board may approve an application under this chapter if the state board determines that approving the application will likely: (1) improve student performance and outcomes; (2) offer the applicant flexibility in the administration of educational programs or improve the efficiency of school operations; (3) promote innovative educational approaches to student learning; or (4) advance the mission or purpose of the school or group of schools. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-6 Authorization to waive certain requirements

Sec. 6. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and subject to section 7 of this chapter, an applicant whose application is approved by the state board under section 5 of this chapter may waive compliance with any provision in this title or 511 IAC that is approved for waiver by the state board. (b) The flexibility provided under this chapter is separate and distinct from flexibility provided under IC 20-26.5-2. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-7 Nonwaivable provisions

Sec. 7. A school or group of schools that submits an application under section 4 of this chapter may not request to waive any of the following provisions: IC 20-24-8-2 (prohibited acts). IC 20-26-5-10 (criminal history and child protection index check). IC 20-26-12-1 (curricular material purchase and provision; public school students). IC 20-26-12-2 (curricular material purchase and rental). IC 20-27-7 (school bus inspection and registration). IC 20-27-8-1 (school bus drivers and monitors). IC 20-27-8-2 (school bus driver driving summary). IC 20-27-10-3 (capacity of school bus). IC 20-28 (school teachers). IC 20-29 (collective bargaining). IC 20-30-5-0.5 (display of United States flag; Pledge of Allegiance). IC 20-30-5-1 (constitutions). IC 20-30-5-2 (constitutions; interdisciplinary course). IC 20-30-5-3 (protected writings). IC 20-30-5-4 (American history). IC 20-30-5-4.5 (moment of silence). IC 20-30-5-5 (morals instruction). IC 20-30-5-6 (good citizenship instruction). IC 20-30-5-13 (human sexuality instructional requirements). IC 20-30-5-17 (access to materials; consent for participation). IC 20-30-5-21 (contrary student instruction not permitted). IC 20-30-5-22 (Indiana studies). IC 20-31 (accountability for performance and improvement). IC 20-32-4 (graduation requirements). IC 20-32-5.1 (Indiana's Learning Evaluation Assessment Readiness Network (ILEARN) program). IC 20-32-8.5 (reading improvement and remediation plans). IC 20-33-1 (equal educational opportunity). IC 20-34 (student health and safety measures). IC 20-35 (special education). IC 20-35.5 (dyslexia screening and intervention). IC 20-36 (high ability students). IC 20-39 (accounting and financial reporting procedures). IC 20-40 (government funds and accounts). IC 20-41 (extracurricular funds and accounts). IC 20-42 (fiduciary funds and accounts). IC 20-42.5 (allocation of expenditures to student instruction and learning). IC 20-43 (state tuition support). IC 20-44 (property tax levies). IC 20-46 (levies other than general fund levies). IC 20-47 (related entities; holding companies; lease agreements). IC 20-48 (borrowing and bonds). IC 20-49 (state management of common school funds; state advances and loans). IC 20-50 (homeless children and foster care children). IC 20-51 (school scholarships). As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69. Amended by P.L.126-2022, SEC.5; P.L.201-2023, SEC.169; P.L.5-2024, SEC.9.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-8 Review by the state board

Sec. 8. (a) The state board shall periodically review compliance waiver requests that were approved by the state board under this chapter. (b) The state board may: (1) amend, suspend, or revoke a compliance waiver request that was approved by the state board if the state board determines that the school or group of schools is not meeting the goals or outcomes described in the applicable application; and (2) grant approval of a waiver described in section 4 of this chapter as part of a school's application for accreditation under this chapter. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-9 State board reporting requirements

Sec. 9. Not later than November 1, 2020, and not later than November 1 each year thereafter, the state board shall do the following: (1) Prepare a report that includes a: (A) summary of the compliance waiver requests received by the state board; and (B) description of compliance waiver requests that were approved and compliance waiver requests that were denied by the state board. (2) Submit the report prepared under subdivision (1) to the general assembly in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69.

Ind. Code § 20-31-4.1-10 Adoption of rules

Sec. 10. The state board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 necessary to implement this chapter. As added by P.L.92-2020, SEC.69. Amended by P.L.168-2022, SEC.20; P.L.93-2024, SEC.145.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/20Fetched: 10/17/2026