INDIANAPOLIS ELEARNING FUND

Brief Program Summary: A collaborative of local stakeholders has established the Indianapolis eLearning Fund with an initial investment of more than $2.6 million to support Indianapolis educators, students, and families during the transition to eLearning in response to the recent COVID-19 public health emergency. Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Office of Education Innovation administers the Fund, and the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee serves as the fiscal agent. The Indianapolis eLearning Fund will address four focus areas to help ensure schools and districts implement effective solutions to this challenge: • Technology access: Support for Marion County traditional public, public charter, and innovation network schools to address short-term needs for accessing devices and internet connectivity for students from low-income families and for students who live in communities with unreliable access to the internet and/or limited broadband capacity. • County-wide e-learning strategy: Support for the development of a county-wide strategy for eLearning that will identify supports needed and address both immediate and long-term needs. • County-wide social-emotional learning strategy: Support for the development of a county- wide strategy for social-emotional learning needs for students, both while at home and upon their transition back to the school building. • Statewide eLearning lab: Support for the launch of an eLearning lab for all schools in the state, including traditional public, public charter, and private schools. The lab will provide early e- learning adopters a platform for sharing best practices with all schools, as well as professional development opportunities to support teachers and administrators. The lab will also equip students and families with the necessary tools for the successful implementation of remote learning.