Audit Finds DEI Practices Persist in Indiana Schools Despite State Ban

A new audit conducted by the Indiana Family Institute and Praxis Advocacy found that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) frameworks remain embedded in Indiana public schools, despite state laws and executive orders prohibiting such practices.

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The findings highlight ongoing tensions between state directives to eliminate DEI and the persistence of related policies and materials in schools.

Indiana's efforts to restrict DEI began with Executive Order 25-14, signed by Gov. Mike Braun, which eliminated DEI initiatives across state government and directed agencies to adopt 'Merit, Excellence, and Innovation' (MEI) instead. The legislature reinforced this with Senate Enrolled Act 289, barring public schools and institutions from requiring DEI-related training or lessons. Both measures require schools to certify compliance and prohibit the use of federal funds for identity-based programming.

Audit Details and School Practices

The audit reviewed 12 public school districts and found that, in some cases, districts changed administrative titles but not responsibilities to avoid explicit DEI labeling. For example, Anderson Community School Corporation (ACSC) altered its organizational chart after the executive order, but the audit reported that only job titles changed, not personnel duties.

Indianapolis Public Schools' 2023-2027 strategic plan continues to prioritize racial equity, affirm Black Lives Matter, and direct recruitment of Black teachers, according to the audit. The report also noted that some district governance documents commit to reducing expulsions and arrests.

Corrine Youngs, founder of Praxis Advocacy and a former policy director in the Indiana attorney general’s office, said many parents only became aware of DEI content during the Covid lockdowns. Youngs stated, "I think parents wanted to see if the executive orders would actually effectively strip DEI out of schools, and from this audit you can see that it has not."

Curriculum and State Oversight

The audit examined the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE) influence on curriculum, particularly its High-Quality Curricular Materials (HQCM) advisory lists. One example cited was "Wit & Wisdom," a K–8 English Language Arts curriculum recommended by the IDOE, which the audit said included content taught through race and class lenses. The audit specifically pointed to kindergarten modules featuring art by Diego Rivera, described as portraying class struggle and colonial oppression.

Youngs attributed some persistence of DEI content to the IDOE course catalog, stating, "We realized it’s coming from IDOE Course Catalog."

State Response and Parent Concerns

Courtney Bearsch, chief communications officer for the IDOE, told The Federalist that the department completed a more than 400-page report in summer 2025 detailing progress on compliance with DEI-related laws. Bearsch said the department addressed many audit assertions, including removing the "Understanding Diversity and Relationships and Emotions" class from the state course catalog in December 2025. She added that the IDOE maintains a process for parents and schools to raise concerns about curricular materials, but has not received any submissions through this channel.

"Some things have changed, some things have been cleaned up, but some things have not and are deeply embedded into the structure of the mission and vision of these schools."

— Corrine Youngs, founder of Praxis Advocacy

The audit also documented parent-reported incidents, such as students encountering members of the opposite gender in bathrooms and LGBT-related signage in schools. Youngs said the audit was "parent instigated" and recommended further steps, including third-party audits and increased parental engagement in oversight.

Recommendations and Next Steps

The audit proposed several measures to address lingering DEI, such as contracting independent consultants for school audits, passing more comprehensive laws, and ordering a third-party audit of the IDOE. Youngs emphasized the need for ongoing review, stating, "It’s clear that the intent from these policies was to get rid of DEI, but that didn’t necessarily happen so we need to audit the schools and the curriculum, see what teachers are doing, and chip away at DEI because it’s so embedded."

The IDOE maintains it is committed to compliance and supporting schools in improving outcomes, and continues to review all standards and programs for alignment with state and federal law.