Frequently Asked Questions
Champion Families
Q: What is a Champion Family?
A Champion Family has one or more students that are using the Indiana Learns grant program.
Q: What is Indiana Learns?
Indiana Learns is a statewide grant program that provides qualifying families with $1,000 to spend on approved Mathematics and English/language arts high-dosage tutoring.
Q: How is eligibility determined for Indiana Learns?
Students must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the grant:
- Student completed ILEARN testing and scored below proficiency in either Mathematics or English/Language Arts
- Student resides in Indiana
- Student is enrolled and is attending an Indiana public, charter, or accredited non-public school as a 3rd-8th grade student
- Student qualifies for the federal free or reduced lunch program
Q: How does the program work?
Families with students who qualify for Indiana Learns will be able to establish an account in the Indiana Learns portal. Once an account is established, families can view their available funds, find an approved learning partner and schedule tutoring services.
Q: How can I enroll?
As of December 20, 2024, Indiana Learns has closed its enrollment window to new families for the 2024-2025 program year. Next year’s enrollment window will be announced in 2025.
Q: I already have an active Indiana Learns account. How long does my student have to use the award?
Families have access to program funds until their funds are exhausted. Each student is granted an award of $1,000. To check on the funds your student has available, log into your Indiana Learns account and view the dashboard.
Q: How do I access my account through the Indiana Learns Student Portal?
The Indiana Learns portal can be viewed on any electronic device with internet access. You will need the username and password associated with the account to access scheduling and account information.
Q: Where can I share general program feedback or ask questions?
Families and Learning Partners are encouraged to provide feedback or send questions regarding the Indiana Learns program by emailing info@indianalearns.org.
Q: Where does the grant come from?
The money for student grants comes from three funding sources: the Indiana Department of Education’s (IDOE) allocation of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. This is federal aid given in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Emergency Assistance for Nonpublic Schools (EANS) program funds and the Next Generation School Improvement Grant (1003).
Q: Where is the grant money held and how is it disbursed/paid out?
The funds can be accessed through the Indiana Learns online portal. Once a student has established an account , families can view available funds and schedule tutoring services through the portal. Learning Partners will be paid directly from this portal. At no point will families receive money directly from Indiana Learns or any approved provider.
Q: What can the grant be used for?
Students may use awarded grant funding to receive high-dosage tutoring in Mathematics and/or English/Language Arts from an approved Learning Partner.
Learning Partners
Q: What is a Learning Partner?
A Learning Partner is an organization or school that has been approved to provide high-dosage tutoring to Indiana Learns students.
Q: Who are the Learning Partners?
A Learning Partner is an organization, school corporation/district, or individual school within a district that has been approved to provide tutoring to Indiana Learns students.
Approved Learning Partners have completed an application process. Applications are reviewed and scored. Approved applicants complete the required administrative steps including the Learning Partner agreement and orientation to the Indiana Learns student portal. Upon completion of these steps, partners are entered in the marketplace where families can select the partner as the student’s provider.
Q: What is the criteria for the Learning Partners?
To become an approved Learning Partner, organizations must:
- Provide services outside of tier 1 math and language arts instruction.
- Serve Indiana Learns student population; these students:
- Live in Indiana
- Attend school in Indiana
- Qualify for Free and/or Reduce price lunch
- Scored below proficient in Math and English/Language Arts on the ILEARN assessment
- Utilize highly qualified tutors as defined by the Indiana Department of Education to provide services. The tutors will meet one of the following requirements:
- Has two years of college experience
- Has a two year college degree
- Passed the parapro assessment (within the first year of employment)
- One year or 1,000 hours of previous employment experience in a school or working with children
- Passed annual school-level evaluations
- Completed 48 credit hours of college level classes
- Has Child Development Associate (CDA) credential
- Completed LE required professional development modules/training
- Completed Other requirements-LEAs may request approval from IDOE
- Employ licensed or retired teachers as the service supervisor. The supervisor will have the responsibility of supervising all non-licensed teachers at all times during which services are provided
- Maintain 1:4 tutor/student ratio
- Benchmark and communicate progress on a weekly basis
- Conduct scheduling of student services and billing for services rendered within the Indiana Learns student portal
- Deliver services on a reimbursement basis (the program will only pay for services rendered)
- Provide a minimum dosage of tutoring of 60 minutes per week
- Provide evidence of science of reading training for all reading tutors
- Keep prices to no more than $100 per student/per session
- Learning Partners must be established organizations, as demonstrated by a minimum of 2 years doing business and a staffing model that includes a minimum of 10 people.
Only approved math and reading services may be scheduled through Indiana Learns.
Q: If I meet the requirements, can I serve as an individual tutor for Indiana Learns?
Individuals cannot serve as learning partners. Individuals seeking to serve as a tutor must work with an approved Learning Partner to provide tutoring services through this program. You can locate a list of approved Learning Partners here.
Q: Can I apply to be a Learning Partner?
At this time, Indiana Learns is no longer accepting additional applications for Learning Partners.
Q: Will IDOE provide any assessment materials to the Learning Partners?
Parents may elect to share their student’s ILEARN results with tutors as part of the experience. Learning Partners can use the information to benchmark and measure impact based on assessment blueprints and Indiana Academic Standards to support individual areas of intended growth for students.
Q: Who do the Learning Partners bill for services rendered?
Learning Partners will provide services on a reimbursement basis. The per hour payment amount is limited to the amount approved in the application. Learning Partners are only paid for services rendered. Learning Partners will submit invoices along with required supporting documents directly within the Indiana Learns portal for services rendered. Learning Partners will be reimbursed through an approved payment platform.
Corporations and Schools
Q: What is a Champion Plus School?
Champion Plus Schools are approved learning partners providing tutoring services directly to their eligible students. Corporations and school buildings can apply to become an approved learning partner
Q: How can schools find out if a student is using the grant?
Corporation leaders can request access to the Indiana Learns portal. This access allows leaders to view student engagement with the program. Corporation or school leaders may request access by contacting info@indianalearns.org.
Indiana Learns also sends email updates to corporation and school leaders. To be added to our email list, please contact our Manager of Communications at mazziz@themindtrust.org.
Q: What is the Indiana Learns data use policy?
Indiana Learns adopted a strict data use policy and is aligned to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).