Dear Indy,
A lot of kids are struggling to read.
It’s been a problem for years but it grew worse after schools were forced to switch to remote learning for part of 2020. Nearly one in five Indiana students failed the state’s third grade reading test in each of the last three years.
The scope of the problem has attracted the attention of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s administration and state lawmakers. Now Marion County educators are preparing for the likely rollout of Senate Bill 1, which would require districts to hold back more students who fail the exam.
We at Mirror Indy partnered with Chalkbeat Indiana and WFYI to learn how Marion County school administrators and teachers were preparing for the probable changes.
One worry that’s emerged? A new “bubble” in the third grade.
“Then we’re going to see that bubble go into our middle schools and into our high schools,” Wayne Township Superintendent Jeff Butts said.
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In other news
- Indiana Republican lawmakers delivered another defeat to the Blue Line yesterday when they advanced Senate Bill 52 out of a House committee. Everyone who testified shared their support for the Blue Line, and some cried as Republicans — almost none of whom represent Marion County — cast their votes on a bill that would jeopardize $150 million in federal funding for Indianapolis and the bus project that voters approved in 2016. First, though, Republicans amended the bill to make sure it wouldn’t affect any of their districts.
- In other bus news: Indianapolis Public Schools will soon have access to 10 electric buses, thanks to a federal grant.
- The Patachou Foundation is hosting “40 Acres and a Broken Promise,” a three-part series about Black agriculture. Just 1% of American farms are Black-owned and operated. Learn more here.
What’s going on around the city
- Thursday, Feb. 29: Circle City Prep’s Culinary Club will sell baked goods beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the school’s “Black Excellence Through the Decades” program at 4002 N. Franklin Road. The sale is a fundraiser for the culinary club and a chance to learn about the role bake sales played in the Civil Rights movement.
- Friday, March 1: GoldLeaf Savory & Sweet, 1901 E. 46th St., will host the “46th Street First Friday Artists Showcase.” Starting at 4 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to meet with local artists, see their work and support a local business, all in one stop. Free.
- Saturday, March 2: The second annual “Scarelastic Book Fair” will be held at Scarlet Lane Brewing, 7708 Depot St. From noon to 6 p.m., some of the biggest names in horror literature, including Clay McLeod Chapman and Beth Hetland, will be around to sign books. Guests to this family-friendly event can also find art vendors and food trucks throughout the day. Free.
— The Mirror Indy arts and culture team
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
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What else we’re reading today
- The Indianapolis Recorder: A statue for Oscar Robertson is coming in 2025, and it will be placed outside of Crispus Attucks High School, which in 1955 became the first all-Black high school in the country to win a national title.
- The New Yorker: This profile of Dr. Caitlin Bernard also serves as a state of affairs for abortion politics and reproductive health care in Indiana. People who have been following the saga from the beginning — including our state attorney general’s appearance on cable news — will still learn some new things.
Notes from our Documenters
Indy Documenter Brianna Dines recently reported on community land trusts. Dines attended a workshop hosted by the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center.
The workshop featured presenters from Kheprw Institute, which has been building the foundation for an Indianapolis Community Land Trust.
“It’s a way for people locked into renting from landlords to get out of that situation of exploitation into one of stability to build equity,” said Alvin Sangusuwangul, a representative from Kheprw.
Indy’s land trust will focus on under 60% area median income, Sangusuwangul said, which is about $52,000 for a three-person household.
There’s currently enough funding for four homes. The application is set to open this summer.
— Ariana Beedie, community journalism director
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Reflections
That’s it for today. See you tomorrow.
Ryan
P.S. If you liked something about today’s newsletter, or didn’t, let me know at ryan.martin@mirrorindy.org. It helps us serve you better.
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