FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lance Gideon, Press Secretary
Lance.Gideon@iga.in.gov
317-234-9221
STATEHOUSE (April 24, 2025) — Another education reform bill authored by State Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette) is headed to the governor's desk. Senate Enrolled Act 255 aims to get more qualified science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers into the classroom and to ensure the parents of students involved in bullying incidents are quickly notified.
"In Indiana, many schools are filling classrooms with teachers who lack classroom training," Deery said. "During the 2022-23 school year, the state issued 17 new teaching licenses in chemistry, 15 in physical science and five in engineering. These subjects, however, are at the leading edge of ingenuity and are important to our state's future workforce needs."
SEA 255 would create new pathways for college graduates with STEM degrees to obtain a teaching certificate if they pass a subject matter test, complete nine specific education credits and gain field experience in the classroom.
The provisions related to SEA 255's parental rights reforms would ask schools to prioritize parental communication in bullying investigations in Hoosier schools by requiring school districts to make a reasonable effort to notify parents by the end of the next day after an incident if their child is the subject of a bullying investigation. Current law requires notification within five days.
"Students should feel safe at school, and parents have a right to know when their child is the subject of a bullying investigation – whether the child be the victim or the bully," Deery said.
SEA 255 also reforms a 2024 law that permitted parents to enroll their children in offsite faith-based instruction during the school day. The changes in Deery's bill aim to give students enrolling in such programs more flexibility so that they miss less classroom instruction.
Earlier this session, the General Assembly also approved Senate Enrolled Act 249, another bill authored by Deery that will establish more flexibility to award salary increases to our school's most needed teachers. SEA 249 has already been signed by the governor.
Deery encourages residents of Senate District 23 to contact him with any questions or comments they may have. Deery can be reached by filling out a "Contact Me" form online at www.IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Deery or by phone at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette) represents Senate District 23,
which includes Fountain, Parke, Vermillion and Warren counties,
and portions of Montgomery and Tippecanoe counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
