Bill > HB1135

This bill establishes two new grant programs aimed at enhancing high school education in Indiana: the Real World Readiness Grant Program and the Personal Financial Responsibility Curriculum Grant Program. The Real World Readiness Grant Program will provide funding to eligible public and nonpublic high schools to develop learning opportunities that better prepare students for life after graduation. These opportunities include integrating real-world business challenges into curriculum, creating experiential learning techniques, developing critical workforce skills, providing career exploration, and ensuring access to high-quality education for students from diverse backgrounds. The program will be administered by the Department of Education and funded through legislative appropriations, gifts, and grants, with a dedicated fund that will not revert to the general fund at the end of each fiscal year. Schools can apply for grants and may partner with approved external organizations that can demonstrate capabilities like securing industry partnerships, providing career mentorship, and showing a track record of improving student outcomes. Similarly, the Personal Financial Responsibility Curriculum Grant Program will provide grants to schools to develop or adopt financial literacy curriculum, with a focus on creating engaging and experiential financial education for students in grades 8-12. Both programs require grant recipients to report student outcomes and give the Department of Education authority to develop guidelines, approve partnering organizations, and adopt rules to implement the programs.

Education, Government Affairs

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1135/details