1. (a) As used in this section, "achievement test" means a test required by the statewide assessment program.
2. (b) As used in this section, "graduation rate" means the percentage graduation rate for a high school in a school corporation as determined under IC 20-26-13-10 but adjusted to reflect the pupils who meet the requirements of graduation under subsection (d).
3. (c) As used in this section, "test" means a test required by the statewide assessment program.

4. (d) A pupil meets the requirements of graduation for purposes of this section if the pupil successfully completed:

   1. (1) a sufficient number of academic credits, or the equivalent of academic credits; and

   2. (2) the graduation examination required under IC 20-32-3 through IC 20-32-5 (before July 1, 2018) or a graduation pathway requirement (after June 30, 2018);

      that resulted in the awarding of a high school diploma or an academic honors diploma to the pupil for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year.

5. (e) Determinations for a school for a state fiscal year must be made using:

   1. (1) the count of tests passed compared to the count of tests taken throughout the school;
   2. (2) the graduation rate in the high school; and
   3. (3) the count of pupils graduating in the high school.

6. (f) In determining grants under this section, a school corporation may qualify for the following two (2) grants each year:

   1. (1) One (1) grant under subsection (h), (i), or (j).
   2. (2) One (1) grant under subsection (k), (l), or (m).

7. (g) The sum of the two (2) grant amounts described in subsection (f), as determined for a school corporation under this section, constitutes an annual performance grant that is in addition to state tuition support. After review by the budget committee, the annual performance grant for a state fiscal year shall be distributed to the school corporation before December 5 of that state fiscal year, unless an extension of the December 5 deadline is approved for that state fiscal year under subsection (o). If the:

   1. (1) total amount to be distributed as performance grants for a particular state fiscal year exceeds the amount appropriated by the general assembly for performance grants for that state fiscal year, the total amount to be distributed as performance grants to school corporations shall be proportionately reduced so that the total reduction equals the amount of the excess. The amount of the reduction for a particular school corporation is equal to the total amount of the excess multiplied by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the amount of the performance grant that the school corporation would have received if a reduction were not made under this section. The denominator of the fraction is the total amount that would be distributed as performance grants to all school corporations if a reduction were not made under this section; and

   2. (2) total amount to be distributed as performance grants for a particular state fiscal year is less than the amount appropriated by the general assembly for performance grants for that state fiscal year, the total amount to be distributed as performance grants to school corporations for that particular state fiscal year shall be proportionately increased so that the total amount to be distributed equals the amount of the appropriation for that particular state fiscal year.

      The performance grant received by a school corporation shall be allocated among and used only to pay cash stipends to all teachers who are rated as effective or as highly effective and employed by the school corporation as of December 1. The lead school corporation or interlocal cooperative administering a cooperative or other special education program or administering a career and technical education program, including programs managed under IC 20-26-10 , IC 20-35-5 , IC 20-37 , or IC 36-1-7 , shall award performance stipends to and carry out the other responsibilities of an employing school corporation under this section for the teachers in the special education program or career and technical education program. The amount of the distribution from an annual performance grant to an individual teacher is determined at the discretion of the governing body of the school corporation. The governing body shall differentiate between the amount of the stipend awarded to a teacher rated as a highly effective teacher and a teacher rated as an effective teacher and may differentiate between school buildings. A stipend to an individual teacher in a particular year is not subject to collective bargaining and is in addition to the minimum salary or increases in salary set under IC 20-28-9-1.5 . In addition, an amount determined under the policies adopted by the governing body but not exceeding fifty percent (50%) of the amount of a stipend to an individual teacher in a particular state fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2015, becomes a permanent part of and increases the base salary of the teacher receiving the stipend for school years beginning after the state fiscal year in which the stipend is received. The addition to base salary under this section is not subject to collective bargaining, is payable from funds other than the performance grant, and is in addition to the minimum salary and increases in salary set under IC 20-28-9-1.5 . The school corporation shall distribute all stipends from a performance grant to individual teachers within twenty (20) business days of the date the department distributes the performance grant to the school corporation. Any part of the performance grant not distributed as stipends to teachers before February must be returned to the department on the earlier of the date set by the department or June 30 of that state fiscal year.

8. (h) Except as provided in subsection (n), a school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school has more than seventy-two and five-tenths percent (72.5%) but less than ninety percent (90%) of the tests taken in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year that receive passing scores. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

   1. (1) the count of the school's passing scores on tests in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
   2. (2) twenty-three dollars and fifty cents ($23.50).

9. (i) Except as provided in subsection (n), a school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school has at least ninety percent (90%) of the tests taken in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year that receive passing scores. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

   1. (1) the count of the school's passing scores on tests in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
   2. (2) forty-seven dollars ($47).

10. (j) This subsection does not apply to a school corporation in its first year of operation or to a school corporation that is entitled to a distribution under subsection (h) or (i). Except as provided in subsection (n), a school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school's school year over school year percentage growth rate of achievement tests receiving passing scores was at least five percent (5%), comparing the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year to the school year immediately preceding that school year. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

    1. (1) the count of the school corporation's pupils who had a passing score on their achievement test in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
    2. (2) forty-seven dollars ($47).

11. (k) A school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school had a graduation rate of ninety percent (90%) or more for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

    1. (1) the count of the school corporation's pupils who met the requirements for graduation for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
    2. (2) one hundred seventy-six dollars ($176).

12. (l) A school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school had a graduation rate greater than seventy-five percent (75%) but less than ninety percent (90%) for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

    1. (1) the count of the school corporation's pupils who met the requirements for graduation for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
    2. (2) eighty-eight dollars ($88).

13. (m) This subsection does not apply to a school in its first year of operation or to a school corporation that is entitled to a distribution under subsection (k) or (l). A school qualifies for a grant under this subsection if the school's school year over school year percentage growth in its graduation rate is at least five percent (5%), comparing the graduation rate for the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year to the graduation rate for the school year immediately preceding that school year. The grant amount for the state fiscal year is:

    1. (1) the count of the school corporation's pupils who met the requirements for graduation in the school year ending in the immediately preceding state fiscal year; multiplied by
    2. (2) one hundred seventy-six dollars ($176).

14. (n) This subsection applies to the state fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016. Notwithstanding subsection (h), (i), or (j), the amount of the grant described in subsection (h), (i), or (j) shall be calculated using the higher of:

    1. (1) the percentage of passing scores on ISTEP program tests for the school for the 2013-2014 school year; or

    2. (2) the percentage of passing scores on ISTEP program tests for the school for the 2014-2015 school year.

       If a grant amount for a school is calculated using the percentage described in subdivision (1), the ISTEP data from the 2013-2014 school year shall be used in the calculation of the grant amount, and the grant amount may not exceed the grant amount that the school received for the state fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, or in the case of a currently eligible school that was ineligible for a grant in the state fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, because the school had not completed the required teacher evaluations, the grant amount that the school would have been entitled to receive for the state fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, if the school had been eligible. The school corporation shall distribute all stipends from a performance grant to individual teachers within twenty (20) business days of the date the department distributes the performance grant to the school corporation.

15. (o) The department, after review by the budget committee, may waive the December 5 deadline to distribute an annual performance grant to the school corporation under subsection (g) for that state fiscal year and approve an extension of that deadline to a later date within that state fiscal year, if the department determines that a waiver and extension of the deadline is in the public interest.
16. (p) This section expires June 30, 2019.

As added by P.L.205-2013, SEC.300. Amended by P.L.213-2015, SEC.226; P.L.2-2016, SEC.1; P.L.118-2016, SEC.19; P.L.151-2016, SEC.5; P.L.242-2017, SEC.48.