Indiana

McCormick emphasizes curriculum, accountability and teachers in Indiana education plan • Indiana Capital Chronicle

Published

2 years ago

August 29, 2024

McCormick emphasizes curriculum, accountability and teachers in Indiana education plan • Indiana Capital Chronicle

School accountability, teacher salary boosts and “academic freedom” are priorities on Jennifer McCormick’s education plan, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate announced on Thursday.

The former state public instruction superintendent, along with running mate Terry Goodin, said their platform largely intends to create more flexibility for K-12 administrators and educators to craft curriculum, while still ensuring academic rigor and accountability across both public and private schools.

The plan also guarantees that teachers would be paid at least $60,000 per year — an increase from the current $40,000 minimum.

“Obviously, education is my passion. It is also Terry’s passion. We believe in the power of education — not just for our kids — but for our families and our communities and the entire state. It’s also what empowers us as a nation,” McCormick said during a Thursday press call. “Too often in Indiana, we talk about the expense, because we are incredibly expensive, but we don’t talk about it as an investment, and it needs to be. … It’s not a K-12 isolation, it is a system of education.”

The costs of the proposal are unknown at this time.

Democrats outline education priorities

The McCormick-Goodin “Commonsense Education Plan” is broken down into five pillars: increased funding for early education; school accountability; teachers’ pay and bargaining rights; keeping partisan politics out of school curriculum decisions; and “re-establishing” a statewide emphasis on attaining post-high school education.

Specifically, the Democratic plan would expand “quality and affordable childcare to address Indiana’s childcare deserts.” The platform also seeks to guarantee universal pre-kindergarten education for all Hoosier families.

Democrat lieutenant governor candidate Terry Goodin speaks on the debate stage on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. (Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Although McCormick said the state is doing “a much better job” at expanding child care now than in years past, she emphasized that “we still have an enormous amount of Indiana” that does not have access to quality care.

“And with some of that childcare, too, we’re really struggling to find providers because of (low) wages,” she added.

The platform also promises to “protect the rights of students and parents” by establishing a “streamlined,” “consistent” and “transparent” accountability platform for all schools accepting public dollars. McCormick said the system seeks to ensure schools — public, private, urban, rural and so on — are all being held to the same academic and fiscal standards.

This would impact private schools receiving voucher dollars that currently don’t have to follow some of the same rules and regulations.

“We’re a school choice state, and there are no quality guardrails on that system,” she said. “And so in order to really do it in a way that makes sense and is fair to kids and families and our business industry — that’s relying on us getting this right — and taxpayers, there should be some accountability.”

“If we’re going to be a state of school choice, it needs to be parent choice and not school choice,” McCormick continued. “It also needs to be one that those quality guardrails are tight so parents at least know there’s some threshold that when you come into a school, that you do have some educated and trained teachers. What kind of curriculum you are following? What kind of fiscal responsibility are we following?”

McCormick and Goodin said they’ll also “champion” Indiana’s K-12 and post-high school instructors “by implementing policies to recruit and retain the best and brightest educators.” That means fighting for a minimum base salary of $60,000 for Hoosier teachers, and adjustments for veteran teachers’ salaries “to reflect their non-educator peers.”

When it comes to finding the funding for increased salaries, McCormick said “there are a lot of areas” in the state budget that “we just need to re-look at again.”

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“It’s about prioritizing,” she said, noting that her property tax relief plan, for example, “really offers some relief” and “tries to relieve some of the local dollars, which would also help with some of the expenses at the school level.”

The Democratic duo further promised to uphold teacher rights by “protecting the freedom of teacher unions to bargain for wages and benefits.” Mandates placed on educators and school boards will be reviewed, too — and where unnecessary or burdensome — those will be eliminated, McCormick said.

The plan additionally calls for “autonomy at the local level” to design a unique curriculum “that prepares students for the future they choose.” The Democratic nominee said that doesn’t mean lowering standards, though. Rather, it’s guarantee of “more flexibility.”

“Why should we have to go to the State Board of Education to beg them to address the needs of our kids?” McCormick asked. “We can still hold everyone accountable for certain thresholds and certain standards of performance, but allowing them to take care of the needs of their schools with the resources they are provided — given where they are located within the state of Indiana, and the partners they have access to and don’t have access to — only make sense. For too long, Indiana has said one size fits all.”

And when it comes to higher education, McCormick and Goodin said they intend to “celebrate, champion, protect, and better fund our higher education institutions and direct workforce development training programs.” That means ensuring resources are place for high schoolers to earn certifications they can use upon graduation, McCormick noted, in addition to maintaining and promoting clear paths towards college.

No specific GOP plan yet

McCormick was endorsed by the political action committee for the Indiana State Teachers Association — the state’s largest teachers union — earlier this year.

A former Republican, McCormick fell out of favor with the Indiana GOP while serving as state superintendent.

Republican governor candidate Mike Braun at a 2024 political event. (Nathan Gotsch/Fort Wayne Politics)

The Republican-controlled legislature — with approval from Gov. Eric Holcomb — eliminated the elected position and replaced it with a Secretary of Education, who is appointed by the governor.

McCormick switched sides to become a Democrat shortly after. She announced her campaign for governor in May 2023 and was the only gubernatorial candidate on the Democratic primary ballot in May.

Goodin, a former Indiana lawmaker and social conservative, was previously a teacher, assistant principal and public school superintendent at Crothersville Community Schools.

“I think, unfortunately, the other team, they look at education as a liability. But our team, the Democratic team, looks at it as an investment,” Goodin said Thursday. “We look at the state budget … over 50% of that budget goes to education. We’re looking at that as an investment that will make Indiana better going forward and into the future. And the folks on the other side say that it’s a waste of money, and that’s been proven in the policies that they’ve been trying to push for the last, three, four, five 10, years. ”

McCormick’s competitor, Republican Sen. Mike Braun, has yet to release a detailed education platform.

Braun’s campaign website emphasizes that while more than half of the state budget is spent on K-12 education, “far too many of our graduates are not prepared to enter the workforce or pursue a degree.”

The Republican candidate — a former school board member — “knows parents are the primary stakeholders in their children’s education and every family, regardless of income or zip code, should be able to enroll in a school of their choice and pursue a curriculum that prepares them for a career, college or the military,” Braun’s website continues.

Recently, he has additionally supported the state education department’s proposed overhaul of Indiana’s high school diplomas and graduation requirements, saying Hoosier education focuses too little on career readiness.

Libertarian Donald Rainwater is also running for governor.

He said he is troubled by McCormick’s focus on “expanding government control over our children and their educational opportunities. Rainwater supports expanding educational opportunities, including school choice.

“Let’s break down barriers, empower parents, and create a vibrant educational landscape,” he said. “By trusting families and respecting their choices, we build a stronger Indiana—one where every child’s potential is unlocked.”

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Indiana

Coast Guard investigates death of mariner working barge in Jeffersonville

Published

11 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Coast Guard investigates death of mariner working barge in Jeffersonville

U.S. Coast Guard officials are investigating March 1 after a mariner died while working on a barge in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

An incident involving the mariner occurred the afternoon of Feb. 27 at mile marker 597 of the Ohio River, said Lt. Cmdr. Steve Leighty, public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Ohio Valley Sector. Leighty declined to provide further details about the mariner and the circumstances of their death, citing the ongoing investigation.

Officials with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office are also investigating the incident, Leighty said.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

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Indiana Pacers Must Manage Two-Way Contract Player Availability Down Stretch

Published

24 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Indiana Pacers Must Manage Two-Way Contract Player Availability Down Stretch

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 20: Ethan Thompson #55 of the Indiana Pacers takes a shot over Derik Queen #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at Smoothie King Center on December 20, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)

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WASHINGTON – The Indiana Pacers have a player availability puzzle to put together down the stretch of the 2025-26 season, and it involves all three of their players on two-way contracts.

Currently, the Pacers have Jalen Slawson, Ethan Thompson, and Taelon Peter signed to two-way deals. Thompson and Peter have been helpful at different points this season, and all three players are healthy right now. They each project to have a bigger role in the Pacers’ final outings of the season.

But they can’t all play in every game thanks to two-way contract rules, and the Pacers will have to juggle the availability of each player. Indiana has already played multiple games since the All-Star break with just one or two or their two-way contract signees available to play.

That’s because two-way agreements come with a limit – players on such contracts can only be active in 50 games per season (or a proportionate ratio of 50/82 games at the time of signing based on the number of days left in the season). The Pacers couldn’t get by without their two-way contract players at various moments this season due to injuries, with Peter being active for 23 of the team’s first 25 games and Thompson during every game from December 1 through January 17.

During those stretches, Indiana needed their two-way players to field a team or a rotation that actually made sense. It wasn’t a poor use of their active days. But that two-way usage early in the season now requires the Pacers to be strategic down the stretch of 2025-26. They have 22 more games this season but won’t be able to use their two-way talents in all of them.

Peter, a rookie selected in the second round of last June’s NBA Draft, had a rush of games to open the campaign, and he’s allowed to suit up 14 more times this league year. “He’s figuring out what being a professional basketball player is about,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Peter and his in-season growth earlier this month. “It’s about being who you are all the time, regardless of make or miss. Just keep playing, just keep staying aggressive.”

Thompson was signed on November 30, which permitted him to appear in 39 games this season. He’s only got 10 left – Thompson was effective right away with the Pacers and played often after his signing. He was named to the NBA G League Next Up game, effectively the G League All-Star game, for his performances this campaign.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – OCTOBER 13: Taelon Peter #4 of the Indiana Pacers takes a shot against the San Antonio Spurs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on October 13, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

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Slawson signed his contract earlier today and is eligible for 13 appearances the rest of the way for the Pacers. So, with 22 games remaining, none of the team’s two-way contract players can be active for each remaining game. The team will have to figure out the best strategy when it comes to managing two-way player availability during the final months of the season.

Another consideration for the franchise is that two-way players, by virtue of their contract, can be transferred down to the G League at any time. Peter, Slawson, and Thomspon have combined for 64 appearances with Indiana’s G League affiliate team, the Noblesville Boom, this season. Once the Boom’s season ends – their final scheduled game is March 26 but the team currently holds a playoff spot – then the G League is not an option for two-way players.

So the Pacers have to figure out the best way to deploy, and evaluate, their two-way contract signees during March and April. It’s a lot to manage.

“We’re trying to save games for him,” Carlisle said of the Pacers decision to keep Quenton Jackson, who was previously on a two-way contract, inactive for a game earlier this month. “We want to conserve those games as much as possible.”

Jackson had his contract converted from a two-way deal to a standard deal earlier today, and Slawson filled his two-way slot. It was sharp business for the Pacers, but they lost some available two-way days as a result – Jackson had more than 13 games remaining, but Slawson gets fewer because of the day he signed his contract.

“Two-way guys, your life is a lot of unpredictability of where you’re going to be from day to day,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan shared in February.

If the Pacers want to keep their two-way talents around the NBA club as much as possible, their best course of action could be to keep two of the three active in every game and occasionally just have one of the three available. If the team can get to a spot in which they have 15 games left on the schedule and all of their two-way talents have 10+ games left in which they could be active, two of the three could play every night during the final 15 outings. Using all three at once could be difficult, though Indiana may choose to deploy each of Thompson, Peter, and Slawson on the second night of back-to-backs as they manage injuries down the stretch. Putting any of the trio in the G League for a few days is an option, too, but comes with injury risks.

Slawson has not appeared in a game for the Pacers yet this season. Peter is averaging 3.3 points per game while shooting 35.8% from the field while Thompson is posting 4.9 points per contest and knocking down 36.7% of his shots. The Pacers are 15-45 with three back-to-backs remaining and three games left against teams near them in the inverse standings.

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Indiana Pacers To Add Wing Jalen Slawson Via A Two-Way Contract

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Indiana Pacers To Add Wing Jalen Slawson Via A Two-Way Contract

Indiana Pacers’ Jalen Slawson dribbles during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers plan to sign wing Jalen Slawson to a two-way contract. The 26-year old forward has spent the ongoing campaign with the Pacers G League affiliate franchise, the Noblesville Boom. It’s a one-year pact covering the rest of the 2025-26 season.

Slawson was a second-round pick back in 2023 and spent his rookie season with the Sacramento Kings. That campaign, the Furman product appeared in 12 games and averaged 0.7 points and 0.6 rebounds per game. Since then, he has bounced around between the Orlando Magic and Pacers organizations.

Most of Slawson’s time in the pros has come via the G League. With the Kings and Magic affiliate teams, the forward averaged between 12 and 13 points per game while being a solid passer and rebounder for his position.

That got him a training camp invite with Indiana last fall. Slawson spent all of the 2025 preseason on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Pacers, and he appeared in all four of the team’s tune-up games ahead of the regular season. He averaged 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Slawson was waived just before the regular season, but the Pacers affiliate team owned his G League rights, and he’s spent the entire season with the Noblesville Boom. That’s where the 6-foot-7 forward has popped – he’s averaging G League career highs of 19.2 points and 5.4 assists per game for the Boom this season, including an improved 34.7% three-point percentage.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – OCTOBER 7: Jules Bernard #14 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball against Jalen Slawson #18 of the Indiana Pacers during the second half of the preseason game at Target Center on October 7, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

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He’s been among Noblesville’s best players this year, and with the team losing many players to injury or overseas opportunities, he has recently become the G League’ club’s top option. Even with more responsibility and attention, Slawson has continued to produce.

Now, he gets a call up to the Pacers via a two-way contract. He’s eligible to be active for 13 of the Pacers final 22 games – two-way contract players are only able to appear in a maximum of 50 games in a league year, and that ratio of games gets prorated if they are signed mid-season.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle had good memories of Slawson’s play for Indiana during the preseason. “ I think he’s an NBA player,” Carlisle said. “He’s had a good year with the Boom and this will be a great opportunity for him to play some games.”

Two-way contracts provide a salary that is half of the NBA’s rookie minimum, which would equate to $636k over the course of a full season. Prorated for the current day on the calendar, that means Slawson will make about $161k on his two-way with Indiana the rest of the season.

Two-way deals have no impact on a team’s salary cap, so the Pacers have no changes to their spending reality. They opened up a two-way spot by converting the contract of Quenton Jackson earlier this weekend.

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