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.”

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