What’s Next for Indiana Schools?

Change has become a "standard operating principle" for Indiana schools in the last decade. Accountability, standards, NCLB, testing, choice, and much more have all become education policy priorities in the last decade.

The pressures and demands on schools and teachers to implement "continuous improvement," planning, curriculum improvements, and a mountain of associated paperwork and new requirements have been intense.

At the same time, dramatic demographic and social changes have rocked many districts around the state.

Rapid population shifts from urban to suburban districts have strained resources in both. Huge influxes of Hispanic students, most with limited English skills, have challenged schools and teachers as never before. A growing emphasis on the special education needs of more and more students pressures schools to provide increased services. While all of this has been going on, the state’s economy took a nose-dive with the dissolution of much of its manufacturing employment base. School funding significantly increased during this time period. However, the uncertainty created by past and current governors and state legislators has made school district planning and budgeting that much more difficult.

Throw in the fact that the state still owes local schools hundreds of millions of dollars in delayed payments – balancing state government’s books at the expense of local schools and communities – our school districts and staff have had a very, very challenging decade.

Teachers – the obvious and absolute key to actually educating kids – are caught in the middle of all of this school policy turmoil.

Where do things stand on various education initiatives at the Statehouse?

Teachers on school committees. Legislation introduced by Sen. Gary Dillon (R-Pierceton) to protect the rights of independent teachers to serve on school committees stalled in the Senate this year. Unlike in year’s past, the measure was wrapped up in a bigger school administration bill that unfortunately met significant opposition from school administrators over issues other than school committee appointments.

Let your state legislators (and IPE) know if you have been excluded from a school committee because of your choice not to join the union.

ISTEP+ testing. This year’s legislative package to move the test to the spring and require a ten-year testing plan passed the Indiana House, but was eventually killed by Senate leadership under serious opposition from Supt. of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed and the ISTA teachers union.

However, the State Board of Education – with a new group of Governor Daniels’ appointees – has been working to demand similar changes in the ISTEP+. Whether the Board will ultimately take action, over the opposition of Dr. Reed, time will tell.

State Board of Education. For several years, the Board has walked in close step with Dr. Reed and the Dept. of Education policy positions. However, new Board members in 2006 have been very aggressive in challenging Dr. Reed and DOE on various issues and asserting independent authority over education policy. A battle for control is underway, which may tip further with the addition of six more appointments by Governor Daniels this summer.

School choice. Legislation to provide a refundable tax credit for families in poverty to pay for costs of full-day kindergarten programs at public or private schools was defeated in the House. School choice advocates are reportedly increasing efforts in the state.

Full-day Kindergarten. Within days of the end of the legislative session, the Daniels administration indicated that funding a statewide full-day Kindergarten program would be a priority in the 2007 budget. In April, a state appellate court found it illegal for school districts to continue to charge an additional fee for parents to access full-day programs (as opposed to state-funded half-day), thereby further fueling calls for state funded full-day kindergarten.

School Funding. Last month, the ISTA filed a class action suit against the State, alleging that the public school system has been under-funded in violation of the state constitution. The ISTA union has retained a Boston law firm to argue the case and set aside $2 million in membership dues to pay initial legal costs. This is part of a national initiative to use the courts to challenge school funding, with 35 lawsuits filed against various states that are taking years to work their way through the courts.

School Accounting Practices. Introduced as a measure to encourage schools to undertake various efficiency programs such as cooperative buying, the biggest element to eventually pass requires significant changes in the way school corporations report spending. The objectives include standardizing reporting to the state and better comparisons and analyses of spending. A major initiative of the Daniels’ administration, in this area the Dr. Suellen Reed and administration are moving quickly to implement the changes.

From The President

Dear IPE member:

For anyone who had been holding on to the notion that the NEA and its state and local affiliates are "professional associations," the new giant labor unions should dispel any doubts. "Professionalism" is no longer a priority - this is about being a giant labor union.

Make no mistake about it. This new deal between the giant labor unions NEA and the AFL-CIO is a huge step towards what the union bosses really want - a full merger, including state and local associations. Teachers will pay higher membership dues to bailout the AFL-CIO.

The Indiana Professional Educators, Inc. is the state’s only professional association for teachers. We aren’t affiliated with national labor unions or political organizations. We are a voluntary membership association of educators for whom promoting our profession and quality education for the children are our priorities.

Sincerely,

H. Jane Ping, President