Education matters.

Indiana · 2026 session · house

HB 1176Education matters.

Status: Passed chamber
Latest action: 2026-02-25 — Senate conferees appointed: Rogers, Qaddoura
Primary sponsor: Jake Teshka (Republican)
Deadline: Adjourned sine die

AGENCIES; Department of Education (DOE) and Secretary of Education
EDUCATION; Generally
SCHOOLS; Charter Schools
SCHOOLS; Financial Assistance (Including Vouchers, Choice Scholarships, and Education Savings Accounts)
SCHOOLS; Funds and Budgets
STATE GOVERNMENT; Federal Funding
STATE GOVERNMENT; State and Local Funding

Latest change summary

+191 / −163 words · LargeConfidence: medium

This bill makes substantial changes to Indiana's education scholarship programs, charter school authorizations, and the Pokagon Band education fund. The most significant amendments redefine 'eligible student' for scholarship purposes by adding a 400% federal lunch program income cap and age restrictions (4-21 years old as of October 1), fundamentally narrowing program eligibility. The bill also prohibits school boards from simultaneously serving as charter school authorizers while having agreements with those same charter schools, addressing potential conflicts of interest. Additionally, it expands the Pokagon Indiana Education Fund to cover private institutions and workforce programs beginning July 1, 2027, and establishes new procedural requirements including an October 1 application deadline for Career Scholarship Accounts (CSA). The bill removes provisions preventing scholarship fund balances from reverting to the general fund, potentially affecting program sustainability. Multiple sections undergo complete substantive replacements, including shifting from ESA grant provisions to mathematics proficiency screening requirements for grades K-8.

Imposes new 400% federal lunch program income cap on scholarship eligibility, potentially excluding middle-income families previously eligible for education scholarship accounts

Prohibits school corporations from simultaneously serving as charter school authorizer and maintaining innovation network agreements with the same charter school, eliminating structural conflicts

Eliminates statutory protection preventing CSA, ESA, and related scholarship fund balances from reverting to state general fund at fiscal year-end

Expands Pokagon Indiana Education Fund to pay private institutions and workforce programs (not just public institutions) effective July 1, 2027

Establishes October 1 application deadline for CSA accounts and ESA-to-CSA participation, creating hard cutoff for annual enrollment

AI-assisted summary grounded in bill text — verify against official sources before relying on it for counsel work.

HB 1176Education matters.

Latest change summary

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