CONNERSVILLE, Ind. – Fayette County School Corporation is rolling out a new direct admission partnership with Ball State University while also scaling back technology use for its younger grades.

These are two initiatives Superintendent Jeremy Duncan said are focused on preparing students for life after graduation.

Beginning with the upcoming 2027 senior class at Connersville High School, qualifying students will be eligible for Ball State University’s new Direct Admit initiative, a program designed to simplify the college admissions process and provide students with additional support during their senior year.

Duncan said the idea emerged after school officials learned about a similar partnership between Ball State and Muncie Community Schools.

“They were the only one in the state who had that partnership with Ball State,” Duncan said. “And so, we thought to ourselves, why not us?”

Students who qualify for the program must have at least a 3.0 weighted GPA by the end of their junior year, be pursuing a Core 40 diploma or higher and remain on track for graduation. Eligible students will also need a signed FERPA authorization form from a parent or guardian.

The initiative will allow students to complete a shortened application process while receiving support from Ball State admissions staff, invitations to campus events and guidance throughout their senior year.

“Anything we can do to break down walls and barriers for kids to chase what’s next in life after they get out of our building, I think is really, really important,” Duncan said.

The partnership builds on Fayette County’s existing early college programs, which allow students to earn college credit while still in high school. Duncan said around 37 students in the 2026 graduating class earned associate degrees through the corporation’s partnership with Ivy Tech Community College, including one student who earned an associate degree in accounting.

“You think about the dollars that are saved for our families based upon that early college programming is huge,” Duncan said. “We’ll have a lot of children that will walk into those schools, and they’ll have two years done.”

Duncan emphasized that the direct admission initiative is optional and that students will continue to pursue a variety of postsecondary paths, including other colleges, military service and trade careers.

“A four-year college isn’t for everyone, and that’s OK,” he said.

Alongside the Ball State partnership, Fayette County School Corporation also announced plans to eliminate one-to-one technology for kindergarten and first grade students beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

 Under the change, students in those grades will no longer receive individual devices for daily classroom use. Duncan said the corporation is also evaluating possible screen time limitations and technology adjustments for grades second through sixth.

“Research would support the fact that screen time should be limited for kids, that it often leads to mental health concerns, concerns with confidence, just overall brain development for young children,” he said.

The corporation also plans to stop sending elementary Chromebook devices home during summer breaks. Duncan said the district’s goal is not to eliminate technology altogether, but to use it intentionally and in age-appropriate ways.

The district is also preparing for changes tied to Indiana’s updated cell phone restrictions in schools. Under the law, students must store personal electronic devices, such as phones and smartwatches, during the school day.

Duncan said the biggest concern voiced by parents involves communication during emergencies, but he said schools have a responsibility to help students develop appropriate technology habits.

“These kids are going to have a job one day where they can’t have their cell phone out all day, right? They may have to store it away when they go on the floor to work in a factory…” Duncan said. “We have that charge to prepare our kids for what’s next.”