Dr. Katie Jenner - Indiana Secretary of Education
As Indiana’s first Secretary of Education and the state’s top education official, Dr. Katie Jenner is responsible for establishing a unified, student-centered vision across the full spectrum of education, from K-12 to college.
As one of eight secretaries in Governor Mike Braun’s cabinet, Dr. Jenner oversees eight state agencies and boards which comprise approximately 60% of the state budget, or approximately $26 billion over the biennium. This includes leading the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, chairing the State Board of Education (SBOE), and overseeing the Charter School Board, Education Employee Relations Board, Indiana School for the Deaf, Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Indiana State Library.
Under Secretary Jenner’s leadership, the state of Indiana, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions have celebrated a number of successes, including:
Advancing Literacy and Academic Achievement
- Literacy rates increasing for five consecutive years, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for every student population—driven by Indiana’s commitment to the science of reading;
- Implementation of a through-year assessment model, giving educators and parents timely data to support improved student achievement in English/language arts and mathematics;
- Robotics engagement surging statewide, with over 1,500 elementary and middle school teams statewide, more than any other state in the nation;
- An approved Returning Education to the States federal waiver that reduces unnecessary administrative bureaucracy and empowers K-12 schools to focus on student success;
- Chronic absenteeism rates improving for three consecutive years;
Redesigning High School to Better Prepare Students for What’s Next
- The unanimous adoption of new high school diploma requirements that better connect students to their unique future goals of enrollment, employment, and enlistment;
- The creation of new readiness seals that encourage students to experience work-based learning and earn credentials of value in high school, offering direct connections to college and career;
- The highest Indiana high school graduation rate on record;
- A new A-F school accountability model, focused on the range of knowledge, skills, and experiences that matter for each student’s future success;
- Providing parents, educators, and community leaders with transparent, longitudinal data on the student outcomes that matter most through the Indiana GPS Dashboard;
Increasing Higher Education Affordability and Workforce Alignment
- Holding tuition and fees flat at all public higher education institutions for two consecutive years;
- Streamlining over 1,000 low- or zero-enrollment higher education degree programs to better align with student and industry demand;
- Unlocking new federal financial aid for short‑term, in-demand job training, helping more Hoosiers gain job-ready skills and pursue high‑quality, high‑value short‑term credentials through Workforce Pell; and
- Updating the Outcomes-Based Performance Funding (OBPF) formula to align higher education funding to meaningful student outcomes, such as credential/degree completion.
Dr. Jenner previously served as a high school teacher, preschool-12 district leader, and as vice president of a statewide higher education institution. She is also a wife and mother to twin daughters. She lives in Madison, Indiana.
Transforming Education in Indiana
Under Dr. Jenner's leadership, Indiana is transforming education through numerous high-impact tactics. These are just a few examples of this work.
