The Broken Promise of Indiana’s Online Schools
Investigative Reporting: General News Outlets, Print and Online (Small Staff)
About the Entry
Chalkbeat’s Shaina Cavazos conducted an eye-opening investigation into Indiana’s virtual schools, uncovering allegations of misspent funds and failures to adhere to state regulations for teacher staffing and student oversight.
- The broken promise of Indiana’s online schools
- As students signed up, online school hired barely any teachers — but founder’s company charged it millions
- Policymakers agree virtual schools should get more teachers and less money. Will they make it happen?
- Indiana online charter schools need more oversight. These 3 changes could help.
- Gov. Eric Holcomb says Indiana’s low-rated online charter schools need ‘immediate attention and action’
Entry Credit
- Shaina Cavazos, Reporter, Chalkbea
Comments from the Judges
“This series is thorough and compelling … This is a very important story for all rural school districts and states hoping to use online services to solve complex education problems.”
“Great topic well organized … tells a damning story in diamond-sharp details about misspent public funding, high student/teacher ratios and lack of interaction, appalling graduation rates, negligible oversight, and conflicts of interest.”
