INDIANA STATEHOUSE – With many new laws in the Hoosier state effective this month, State Representative Denny Zent (R-Angola) said several important changes support Hoosier teachers and students. Zent said these changes cut what he calls “burdensome red tape for our teachers and schools”.

Representative Zent said as part of House Enrolled Act 1002, standardized test scores will no longer be required to be a part of teacher performance evaluations. He said this should reduce the pressure educators often feel to teach to the test and, as a result, make teaching more attractive as a career. To help cut red tape, House Enrolled Act 1003 went into effect earlier this year to allow the State Board of Education to streamline the timing and frequency of required teacher trainings and grant waivers for schools to bypass over 1,500 regulations. As Indiana continues to transition to the new ILEARN exam, lawmakers passed Senate Enrolled Act 2 so that school accountability grades cannot be negatively impacted by student scores for two years.

Zent said House Enrolled Act 1283 supports students struggling with mental health issues, including those involved in bullying, and experiencing behavioral problems or physical illnesses. The new law ensures aspiring educators receive training on best practices to recognize students' behavioral reactions to trauma so they can address these issues in their classrooms with increased understanding and insight.

Zent said over the summer and fall months he will continue to listen to the voices in his district. He encourages constituents to reach out if they have ideas on how we can make our communities and our state even better.