Save the Date!!

Who: Superintendent of Public Instruction-Elect Glenda Ritz

What: Public Inauguration Ceremony

When: Saturday, January 19th at 12:00 Noon

Where: North Atrium, Indiana State Capitol, Indianapolis

Please join us as we celebrate the inauguration of Glenda Ritz as our new Superintendent of Public Instruction

Note that a reception and Open House will be held immediately after the inauguration

Not Paid for With Taxpayer Funds

Book Review: The Flat World and Education

The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity will Determine Our Future by Linda Darling-Hammond

Reviewed by Susie Berry

Linda Darling-Hammond is well known for her work as an educator, researcher, and author. She began her work as a public school teacher (with a B.A. degree from Yale in 1973) and now holds an Ed.D. from Temple (1978). She has just been named one of the nation’s ten most influential people affecting educational policy and has served as the leader of President Barack Obama’s educational policy transition team.

This book compared (through many graphs and statistics) the math, science, and reading scores of students around the world. The discouraging information for anyone in the United States who cares about our children and our schools is that the last two decades have shown a substantial drop in our scores while the scores in many other countries have steadily improved.

Darling-Hammond is most concerned about the inconsistencies in both funding and academic achievement in the schools in this country. She notes that the emphasis on high-stakes testing (which was pushed in “No Child Left Behind”) correlates with the drop in our scores. She writes about the success of performance assessments using open-ended questions in the state of Connecticut and problem-solving assessments implemented in North Carolina.

Details about schools in Finland, Korea, and Singapore show how these countries have improved their scores for all students. Even with higher numbers of immigrant students and many in poverty, learning (particularly in the areas of problem solving and critical thinking) has continued to improve. Aggressive recruitment of bright, committed teachers and support of these teachers through on-going training consistently is a priority in these successful countries. Finland says that teachers are ranked highest in importance; Korea’s curriculum focuses on development of the whole child; and Singapore focuses on “thinking schools” with much less emphasis on testing.

How can the United States learn from countries that place a high priority on the education of their children? Darling-Hammond contends that the classroom teacher is “key.” Teachers need to be prepared through a strong pre-teaching curriculum, with strong skills in child development and educational pedagogy. They need to be prepared to expect all children to succeed. The inequality in funding between wealthy and poor districts must be remedied. Darling-Hammond also supports smaller schools – no more than 1,200 in high schools with an ideal of 300 – 500 students.

This book does not paint a pretty picture of education in this country, but the author did give specific suggestions on how we can learn from the success of other countries. She contends that an aggressive plan that would rapidly solve teacher shortages and dramatically upgrade teaching in all communities would cost $5 billion annually – far less than 1% of the cost thus far of the War in Iraq! Is this country ready to make that commitment?

Linda Darling-Hammond: The Flat World and Education - Video

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December 20, 2012: Question of the Day

A week ago politicians and media folks were saying that teachers are ignorant, lazy, and greedy. This week they are saying that teachers are heroes who need to be armed.

Here is the question of the day. Why in the world would they want to arm people that they consider ignorant and lazy?

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Click the question mark below to see all our Questions of the Day or click the link in the sidebar.

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Vic’s Statehouse Notes #102– December 19, 2012

Dear Friends,

Dr. Bennett is trying to rewrite the history of full day kindergarten in Indiana in his final weeks in office.

Perhaps you received the press release that came out from Dr. Bennett’s office on December 10th on the status of full day kindergarten. The first two paragraphs appeared as follows:

PRESS RELEASE                                       Media Contact: Stephanie Sample

For Immediate Release                                                         (317) 232-6615

Monday, December 10, 2012                                        ssample@doe.in.gov

Full Day Kindergarten Funding More than Doubles

State funding for full day kindergarten increased by $107.9 million for the 2012-2013 school year, reaching a total of $189.8 million. The funds will be distributed December 14 to 338 public school corporations and charter schools for the 79,110 students who enrolled in full day kindergarten programs this year. In 2011-2012, 66,401students were enrolled in full day kindergarten programs, with a total state funding distribution of $81.9 million.

This year’s rapid increase in enrollment and funding is the result of 2012 legislation spearheaded by Governor Mitch Daniels and passed by Indiana lawmakers to guarantee $2,400 per full day kindergarten student. The funding is provided through the Full Day Kindergarten Grant, which was created in 2005 and represents one of the key education policies in the Governor’s first term.

Dr. Bennett’s ode to the legacy of Governor Daniels suffers from a crucial problem.

It isn’t true.

The Full Day Kindergarten Grant was created in 2001 during the second term of Gov. Frank O’Bannon. Documentation copied from the 2001 budget (HEA 1001) is here.

I observed the major legislative battle over full day kindergarten funding in the 1999 session. After much debate, many rallies, an opposing Senate “cafeteria plan” and high expectations that $110 million dollars would be included in the budget for full day kindergarten, it all collapsed in the final days of the session. By 2001, the dot.com recession had undermined revenue to the point that no serious effort to fund full day kindergarten was debated in the 2001 session. “There was no money.” Unexpectedly, in the final version of the 2001 budget, a $10 million “Full Day Kindergarten Grant” appeared and the program was started, as attached.

In the post 9/11 recession, serious revenue shortfalls led Governor O’Bannon to cut 15% from most line item programs, lowering the Full Day Kindergarten Grant to $8.5 million. That is the level that was funded in the 2003 budget and again in 2005, Gov. Daniels’ first budget.

Credit for starting the Full Day Kindergarten Grant in 2001, as I recall the story, was attributed to the final conference committee negotiations between Rep. Bauer and Sen. Borst, no doubt influenced and supported by Gov. O’Bannon, who had made a strong push for full day kindergarten in the 1999 battle. Sen. Borst was said to be favorably influenced to support full day kindergarten by his daughter, a dedicated and successful early childhood teacher and later administrator in MSD Perry Township.

Let the historical record stand corrected.

To me, the most interesting part of this episode is that it reflects the ongoing, constant effort to “enhance the brand” of reformers. Governor Daniels has created in Indiana an educational marketplace of schools, and in a marketplace, marketing is everything. Attention to marketing schools is now a bigger priority for school survival than attention to curriculum or instruction.

An example of this was seen in the December 5th State Board of Education meeting, when Charter Schools USA brought a national leader in school reform, Jeanne Allen, well known founder of the Center for Education Reform in Washington, DC, to the state board meeting to defend their reputation. She had visited the takeover schools in Indianapolis and reassured the State Board that all was well. This headed off any questions that might have been expected about the parent protest at Howe High School in September or the subsequent firing of a co-principal at Howe. Charter Schools USA used a skillful marketing technique to protect their reputation with the State Board. In this educational climate, it’s all about marketing.

No doubt more people have seen the incorrect assertion than Gov. Daniels started the Full Day Kindergarten Grant than will see this correction. Marketing wins again.

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

Many thanks to all who participated in the “Do It Now Challenge” to join or renew memberships in the Indiana Coalition for Public Education! We had a good response, but more members are needed to have the voice in the Statehouse that we need. I urge you to share this invitation to support ICPE with your public education friends. I have attached another membership form as a convenience. Go to www.icpe2011.com for more information.

I wish you a great holiday and I look forward to working with you to support public education in 2013.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Reactions to Tragedy

Reposted from Live Long and Prosper.

I can't imagine any teacher in America, or the world for that matter, who hasn't spent some time in the past 48 hours thinking about what he or she would do if faced with a deadly attack on his or her students.

The story of Vicki Leigh Soto whether 100% accurate or not, is an indication that she, along with many of her colleagues at Sandy Hook, did whatever was humanly possible to protect the young lives under their care.

The loss of so many young lives is just the latest in a series of similar stories. Our reactions are predictable...anger, sadness, disbelief...and fear. It's a reality in our nation that those who are entrusted with the education of young children are -- and have always been -- entrusted with their safety as well....from the air raid drills I remember growing up with in Chicago during the Cold War, to storm and fire drills...to the current need for lockdowns and "red alerts."

Pundits, politicians, and the usual teacher-bashers are praising the acts of the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School. How long will it be, however, before teachers are again accused of being failures, of only being in it for the money, of only caring about their pocketbooks, of teaching only because "those who can't, teach?"

How long will it be before more contract rights are taken away from teachers, more public schools are closed because of the nation's failure to deal with poverty (and violence), and more public money is transferred to private schools or corporate charters?

At first...immediately after the attack on children, words failed. Now the words are starting to come out. The words of anger and of anguish. Here are just a few voices...

Let the Nurturers Nurture

In another room in that building, fellow first grade teacher Kaitlin Roig locked her little ones in a bathroom and pulled a bookshelf in front of the door. She told the children to be perfectly quiet. She told the children there were bad guys out there right then and that they needed to wait for the good guys.

“As their teacher, I’m their protector,” the teacher told Diane Sawyer.

“I told the kids I love them,” she said, “and I was so happy they were my students…I said anyone who believed in the power of prayer, we need to pray.” And she didn’t leave out the children who didn’t believe in prayer. She told them to think happy thoughts. Even in a time of extreme stress, her thoughts were on the individual needs of those children.

She said she wanted “I love you” to be one of the last things they heard, because she was sure they were all going to die.

As this teacher contemplated her own death, she didn’t think about what she needed. She thought about what those little ones needed.

Thank you, teachers

This is from a science blog. The authors generally focus on the conflict some people have between science and religion...and evolution topics. Speaking about teachers...

And for this they get to be one of the most denigrated groups of professionals in the United States, targeted every single [expletive deleted] year for one “reform” after another, vouchers from the fundies and charter schools from the liberals, forced by law to take every spark of individuality and interest out of their curricula and then blamed when their students lose interest, resented their pensions and their health care by people who then blame them when their kids turn out to be apathetic.

Once the media horror dies down about Soto and her co-workers’ sacrifices, I guarantee you this: public school grade school teachers will go right back to being the despised class. “Union thugs.” “With three-month vacations.” “Teaching kids their ABCs.” All the idiotic, ill-informed, right wing anti-intellectual myths will rev up again as if nothing had happened. And in the meantime the people the Fox pundits despise will go on teaching kids to read and do math and treat each other with respect.

In other words, it’s not really that much of a jump to imagine all the teachers I know instinctively taking a bullet to protect their kids. To a first approximation, every single one of them does the same thing every waking moment, giving up their lives by increment to give their students a chance at a better life.

Proud To Teach

Jerzy Jazzman reminds us that teachers put their lives on the line...not just in a wealthy Connecticut town, but across the country in many difficult situations. We all walk into our classrooms thinking about how to reach our students, not how to protect them from evil. But, in an emergency, the first thought of most teachers would be for the safety of their students.

Let me, instead, remind all of you a terrible truth:

The last adult who tried to protect the twenty (dear God, twenty...) beautiful children who died yesterday was their teacher.

Twenty sets of parents - maybe single parents, maybe couples, maybe step parents - twenty sets of parents literally put the lives of their children into the hands of a teacher. Those wonderful teachers literally died because they were will willing to take on the awesome responsibility of caring for and protecting twenty wonderful, precious, innocent lives during the time they were in school.

Michelle Rhee Never Misses an Opportunity To Exploit a Tragedy

How does saving a child's life fit in the VAM evaluation process?

Both these teachers are heroes in their own way. Both these teachers did something extraordinary that cannot be measured with a test, with a piece of paper, with an observation. They did something that none of us put in their situation have no idea what we would do.

If their acts (and I am not omitting any other acts of bravery yesterday, just only know of these two thus far), are the ultimate acts, the very definition of effective teachers, what then would have become of them if they were subject to VAM as whether or not they are effective.

Now, I do not know what the new evaluation system in Connecticut consists of. I can only speak for what is coming or might come in NYC. But what these teachers showed is what happens in schools all over the country in one way or another every day. Intangibles that are so subjective there is no way to measure.

For Rhee and her sycophants to call these teachers in Newtown colleagues is not only laughable, but it is worse. It is vulgar. One of the worst vulgarities I have ever seen. These teachers are career teachers, went into teaching to have a career, a lifetime of education children. Rhee and her ilk stand for everything that is opposite of these two teachers belief systems.

A Land Without Guns: How Japan Has Virtually Eliminated Shooting Deaths

This article came out after the shooting in Aurora, Colorado -- July 23, 2012. It's an interesting read. Will we ever reach the point where a dozen shooting deaths in a year is too many for the entire country?

America's gun control laws are the loosest in the developed world and its rate of gun-related homicide is the highest. Of the world's 23 "rich" countries, the U.S. gun-related murder rate is almost 20 times that of the other 22. With almost one privately owned firearm per person, America's ownership rate is the highest in the world; tribal-conflict-torn Yemen is ranked second, with a rate about half of America's.

But what about the country at the other end of the spectrum? What is the role of guns in Japan, the developed world's least firearm-filled nation and perhaps its strictest controller? In 2008, the U.S. had over 12 thousand firearm-related homicides. All of Japan experienced only 11, fewer than were killed at the Aurora shooting alone. And that was a big year: 2006 saw an astounding two, and when that number jumped to 22 in 2007, it became a national scandal. By comparison, also in 2008, 587 Americans were killed just by guns that had discharged accidentally.

Almost no one in Japan owns a gun. Most kinds are illegal, with onerous restrictions on buying and maintaining the few that are allowed. Even the country's infamous, mafia-like Yakuza tend to forgo guns; the few exceptions tend to become big national news stories.

Guns Don't Kill People--Crazy People with Guns Kill People

Read this for an idea of how powerful the gun lobby is in America. We have restrictions for toys and ladders, but not for guns.

Children ages 5 to 14 in America are 13 times as likely to be murdered with guns as children in other industrialized countries, according to David Hemenway, a public health specialist at Harvard who has written an excellent book on gun violence.

So let’s treat firearms rationally as the center of a public health crisis that claims one life every 20 minutes. The United States realistically isn’t going to ban guns, but we can take steps to reduce the carnage.

American schoolchildren are protected by building codes that govern stairways and windows. School buses must meet safety standards, and the bus drivers have to pass tests. Cafeteria food is regulated for safety. The only things we seem lax about are the things most likely to kill.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has five pages of regulations about ladders, while federal authorities shrug at serious curbs on firearms. Ladders kill around 300 Americans a year, and guns 30,000.

We even regulate toy guns, by requiring orange tips — but lawmakers don’t have the gumption to stand up to National Rifle Association extremists and regulate real guns as carefully as we do toys. What do we make of the contrast between heroic teachers who stand up to a gunman and craven, feckless politicians who won’t stand up to the N.R.A.?

As one of my Facebook followers wrote after I posted about the shooting, “It is more difficult to adopt a pet than it is to buy a gun.”

Fischer Explains God’s Inaction

It was only a matter of time before someone said that God didn't protect those children because we "took God out of schools in 1962." One question in response, why did 4 little girls die in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963? Did someone "take God" out of the church?

Those people who use religion in this way are the lowest of the low...stupid, hateful, ignorant people.

And I’m so tired of this “God isn’t allowed in schools” nonsense. Kids pray in school every day and no one stops them. They pray individually and in groups. They gather around the flagpole and pray. There are literally thousands of Christian student groups at public schools all over the nation. They meet for Bible study and prayer sessions before and after school in classrooms and elsewhere on public school campuses. The only thing that can’t be done is the government cannot force a student to pray or read the Bible or be forced to listen to someone else pray.

Snopes: Newtown Rumors

As is typically the case in the wake of tragedy, many rumors began to swirl after the 14 December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which left 26 victims dead at that school. We'll try to keep up with some of the more widely-circulated ones...

Thank you Fred.

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world." -- Fred Rogers

~~~

Vic’s Statehouse Notes #101– December 10, 2012

Dear Friends,

Public education will again be under attack during the upcoming General Assembly session. The Indiana Coalition for Public Education, with your support, will be there in the Statehouse to advocate for public education and fight proposals to expand vouchers.

Proposals to expand vouchers for private school tuition were part of the fall campaign of Mike Pence. We can expect efforts to expand vouchers in two directions. First, some want to take off the income limits and allow families with high incomes to get vouchers. This would allow high-income families as well as low-income families to get a religious education for their children at taxpayer expense.

Second, some want to make all students eligible for vouchers, even if they have not been attending a public school. This second proposal would mean that vouchers would no longer save the state money, but would for the first time become a new fiscal expense. Vouchers were sold to legislators as a money saver, because when a student transfers out from a public school to a cheaper private school, the state saves money. If students are no longer required to attend a public school first before becoming eligible for a voucher, then the rationale of “saving money” is gone, and the vouchers for private school tuition will become a new expense for the state, competing with all the other things that money is needed for, such as preschool support and the restoration of professional development funds.

The Indiana Coalition for Public Education plans to be in the Statehouse to speak up for public education in all of the upcoming debates, but we can’t do that without your support. Here is where we are:

ICPE contracts with a great lobbyist, Joel Hand, to represent us during the legislative session. Many of you know Joel by now. His excellent work does not come free. We still need to raise $15,000 to cover expenses for the next six months.

We need new memberships, membership renewals and additional contributions. In the two years since ICPE was founded, we have had nearly 1000 individuals join us with a membership check. Since July 1, when our membership year begins, about 200 individuals have renewed. We know more intend to renew, so here is my invitation, based on countless conversations I have had with supporters in the last two years who said, “You know I support you, but that form is still sitting on my desk.”

Please accept my “DO IT NOW” CHALLENGE. In response to your appreciation for the work of ICPE in the Statehouse and for any insights with have gained from “Vic’s Statehouse Notes”, please rise up from where you are sitting and go to your checkbook NOW and either start or renew your membership with a $20 (or more) check. Print off the attached membership form, and mail it all to: ICPE, PO Box 7093, Fishers, IN 46037. This address is also on the form.

Perhaps you will smile if I relate this to the “high expectations” movement. In this era of high expectations and high standards for schools, we have set a high standard for ICPE membership. We actually expect that advocates for public education can write a check to ICPE and put it in the mail. The ICPE board initially rejected the use of credit cards for online payments due to the high fees involved. We are looking into a change in that policy, but in the meantime, I am convinced that advocates for public education can meet these high expectations by writing a check today (Monday) and mailing it on Tuesday, December 11th.

Our ICPE board meeting is on Friday, December 14th, when we need to know how many resources we will have for the General Assembly session. Can you help us? We need your support.

So here is the “DO IT NOW” CHALLENGE:

1. Copy the membership renewal form attached.

2. Write a generous check. Memberships are available at $20, $50, $100 and $250.

3. If you have already renewed but are feeling pumped about public education, send us an additional check of $10 or $15 for the legal fund. We accept all donations at any time for the great cause of supporting public education.
4. Mail the form and your check to our PO Box on TUESDAY, DEC. 11th (tomorrow)!

Public education needs your support. Please accept this challenge. Your response will make a huge difference in what ICPE can do in the Statehouse. Thanks!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Reflections on REPA 2

Guest blogger Julian Smith writes...

Some reflections on the State Board of Education meeting today.

First, it was encouraging to have a packed Riley room and so many advocates for public education in attendance and speaking up. There will be a day of reckoning.

I'm really not sure, after reflecting on the proceedings exactly what I witnessed today. The agenda was revised then revised again. Public comments were going to be at the end, then they decided at the beginning, but speakers were admonished to keep their remarks to 3 minutes as they had already heard all this before.

Dr. Bennett did introduce Glenda Ritz and allowed her to address the board. She did an excellent job summarizing and illuminating major concerns and made a logical case for tabling REPA 2, and urged the board to do so as the public had had little time to digest the proposed changes and there is no current crisis that would suggest a need to rush.

Then moved on to public comments, and I originally thought this was going to be different than usual. For A-F grading all public comments were against, and they did it anyway. For REPA 2 all former public comments had been against, but this time they did recruit two people to speak in favor. One was a charter school teacher and I don't recall the other. Then the balance of the comments were in opposition. I was surprised and maybe missed it, but expected someone to make the case that one would not go to a surgeon with no training just because they could pass an anatomy test. One would not hire a lawyer or policeman just because they know the law. I did hear the word pedagogy today more in 3 hours than in all the rest of my life. The problem was those tossing the term around either didn't know the definition or had no appreciation for it.

I know if I use names I will miss someone and for that I apologize, but I particularly remember the comments of Phyllis Bush from Fort Wayne who gave views from the perspective of a retired teacher against demeaning the profession by allowing an adjunct license to anyone with a bachelors. And took note specifically of Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer, who spoke eloquently about her concerns from the perspective of a mother of school age children and the practice of hiring teachers with no training would be damaging and dangerous for kids. Thanks to Cathy and Phyllis for making the trip and the work they are undertaking to advocate for students by standing up for public schools.

Following public comment, I was never aware that a motion had been made to accept REPA 2 or the summarized changes presented by the DOE as discussion began. I was stunned that board member Neil Pickett, after complaining that he had heard all the objections before, had a few questions and asked for clarification on a few items. It was amazing that anyone showing such contempt for the concerns of others, because he is so well informed and knows better than the public, could then need clarification or more information.

Board member Tony Walker, suggested that the concern over an adjunct license was not a valid concern because local boards are not required to hire teachers with an adjunct license. But it left me thinking what would happen should local boards continue to feel the financial squeeze and qualified trained teachers such as Math and Science become even more difficult to locate and lure. Wouldn't it be tempting to just hire a few as starting teachers rather then paying what's required to get an experienced highly qualified teacher to relocate? Additionally, I wonder how long it will be before a few children, nieces, nephews, friends of friends etc. who have lost a job or can't find one fresh out of college are invited take a job teaching because anybody can do it!

Board member Mike Pettibone shared concerns and admonished the board that they had not two, but three options. They could vote yes, no, or table the matter. He suggested that they should recognize that morale over public education was at an all time low, and to push further may not be a good idea. He suggested waiting, studying further, and said he would like to have full final version rather than just a DOE summary on the table before he voted yes or no. He then made a motion to table REPA 2, and it died for lack of second.

Jo Blacketor made a crazy comment that we lose a child every 26 seconds, so in her eyes REPA 2 needed to be passed because there is a crisis. I still don't know what she was talking about. Along with Neil Pickett, she was the other board member that continually demonstrated by her exasperation and body language that she had nothing but contempt for anyone that didn't agree with her and she suggested that any opposition was purely political and had nothing to do with what was best for students. Made me wonder what is best for her? Make no mistake what this is really about is equipping takeover and charter schools with the authority to hire non educators to teach at the lowest possible salary so the operators of those schools have more dollars to stick in their pocket. Additionally, by exponentially increasing the hiring pool, they no longer have the challenge of staffing their classrooms with quality qualified people. They truly believe that anyone can teach, so now they can hire, anyone!

I'm still scratching my head over the next thing that happened. Neil Pickett, after getting his foggy notions illuminated and clarified then had an epiphany and decided he could fix the whole thing by offering a few amendments. So he asked to amend REPA 2 by adding a stipulation to the adjunct license requirement, decided that ESL teachers should demonstrate some qualification other than a bachelors and maybe some other minor change or two. I still think what happened next was that someone seconded his amendment, and they voted. I'm thinking they voted on the amendment. Then Dr. Bennett shares that REPA 2 is now passed by a vote of 9-2.

I haven't had parlimentary procedure since high school, but I'm pretty sure the moderator is supposed to have a main motion on the floor before an amendment can be offered, and when an amendment is offered it is to be debated and voted on, then you go back to the main motion and vote on it. It was all very fuzzy too me, but that's the way it got done.

Ok, if you've read this far you can't get away without a task. So click on mpettibone@accs.k12.in.us and thank Mike Pettibone for his support in speaking up for teachers and offering a motion to table REPA 2, and for voting no when whatever it was that was voted on came up for a vote. Then click on cwhicker@hccsc.k12.in.us and thank board member Cari Whicker who also said she had concerns and voted no as well.

The only other two noteworthy takeaways came after REPA 2 had passed and one came from Dan Clark, chairman of the Education Roundtable who mentioned that Indiana's math standards are superior to common core, and that registered a return on my radar. Senator Kruse who chairs the Senate Education Committee has already said he is in favor of revisiting adoption of common core because he has reconsidered, and it is noteworthy because it's not Ms. Ritz making waves and trying to upset the apple cart, but someone inside the DOE is pointing out an issue as well as a high ranking Republican. Maybe there will be more to come on this in the future after Tony takes off to work on his tan?

Additionally there was testimony from some takeover operators and I found it significant that in general terms they shared that all was going well. However they then went on to share that to this point they have only accomplished about 5 percent of what they'd like to accomplish (I don't really know what they are measuring with this percentage) because "these things take time". I wanted to stand up and shout out, DUH! Just left me wondering how much time they will need to achieve the other 95%? I hope it is not in excess of the latitude afforded traditional public schools? These people are supposed to have all the answers and be the miracle workers. It doesn't become them to start bellyaching and complaining about time. We all live by the same Good Ole Mitch's Daylight Savings Time.

That's it. If your still reading, thanks for sticking with it and please share with those interested in the shenanigans on Ohio Street.

Thanks,
Julian

December 6, 2012: Question of the Day

Have you written to the members of the State Board yet? Here are their names and contact information:

First Congressional District Tony Walker
tony@walkerlawgroup.biz 363 S. Lake Street
Gary, IN 46403 (219) 887-2626

Second Congressional District Jo Blacketor
joblacketor1@gmail.com 59701 Myrtle Road
South Bend, IN 46614 (574) 532-4841

Fourth Congressional District Sarah O’Brien
smobrien@avon-schools.org River Birch Elementary School
5456 East 75 North Avon, IN 46123 (317) 544-6800

Fifth Congressional District Neil Pickett
neilcpickett@gmail.com IU Health Fairbanks Hall #6210
340 W. 10th Street Indianapolis, IN 46202

Seventh Congressional District Daniel Elsener
delsener@marian.edu Marian University
3200 Cold Springs Road Indianapolis, IN 46222 (317) 955-6100

Eighth Congressional District B.J. Watts
bj.watts@evsc.k12.in.us 11148 Saint Wendel Road
Evansville, IN 47720 (812) 459-5210

Ninth Congressional District James Edwards
jdedwards@pcsi.net 826 Balthazar Drive Santa Claus, IN 45759
(812) 544-2276

At-Large David Shane
dshane@ldiltd.com 54 Monument Circle Suite 800
Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 237-2279

Please thank these people:

Third Congressional District Cari Whicker
cwhicker@hccsc.k12.in.us Riverview Middle School
2465 Waterworks Road
Huntington, IN 46750 (260) 356-0910

Sixth Congressional District Michael Pettibone
mpettibone@accs.k12.in.us Adams Central Com. Schools
222 W. Washington St. Monroe, IN 46722
(260) 692-6193

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Vic's Statehouse Notes #100 - December 5, 2012

Dear Friends,

The State Board of Education passed REPA 2 with three changes today by a vote of 9-2. The way they did it, however, leaves a string of legal questions which lawyers will no doubt be studying in the days ahead to determine if the action taken today will stand.

It was historically appropriate that the final meeting held in the Riley Room today before the IDOE moves to new offices was an overflow crowd. The first meeting held in the Riley Room in 2001 was also an overflow crowd protesting the first version of PL221 rules, known by some as the “orange sticker protest.” Those were the good old days when a huge show of opposition at a public hearing could actually influence the State Board and the State Superintendent to change direction. On that occasion, PL221 was tabled and completely rewritten. Not so today. A huge show of opposition in public comments led to three changes, but an effort to table REPA 2 today failed and the package of licensing rules which will lower standards for both teacher and administrator licenses passed.

The remarkable turnout and the long list signing up for Public Comments led Dr. Bennett to change the agenda and take Public Comments first rather than last, as the printed agenda showed. Before beginning the Public Comments, Dr. Bennett called on Glenda Ritz to address the board. She explained that she had requested that the action items be tabled so that her administration could determine the fiscal impact of the proposals. She said that when that request was denied, she requested time to address the board in order to ask them directly to table REPA 2. She said, “Preservice training is important. We can’t put unqualified teachers in the classroom.”

Such sentiments opposing REPA were echoed with clarity and passion by 20 speakers during Public Comments, while 4 speakers favored it as is. School of Education leaders from Butler, Indiana University, IUPUI and Indiana Wesleyan asked for specific changes. Individuals came from Indianapolis, Columbus, Bloomington, Warren Township, Winimac and Fort Wayne to speak against lower standards for licensing. Officials representing the Indiana Association for Teacher Education, the Indiana Middle Level Education Association, the Indiana Federation of Teachers, the Indiana PTA and the NAACP spoke out against REPA 2. My testimony, which can be found here, raised the legal question of whether the rule can be revised in the major ways announced last Friday without triggering another round of public hearings.

After an hour and a half of Public Comments, the board considered REPA 2. After an hour of detailed discussion, Mike Pettibone, the only K-12 administrator on the board, after saying, “I’m not against REPA 2, but I don’t have a final draft in front of me and I need a final draft before I buy it,” moved to not adopt it now but to consider it at a future meeting.

His motion failed for lack of a second.

After additional discussion, Neil Pickett moved to approve REPA 2 with two changes. The first change would be to remove ENL (ESL) licensing from the list of areas that could be added to a teacher’s license by passing a test. The second change was to add a pedagogy requirement to the “Adjunct Teacher Permit”, referring to the provision allowing any person with a Bachelors Degree to get a five year license if they have a 3.0 GPA in a content area and pass the content area test.

A dizzying round of comments then began which left observers who honor parliamentary procedure scratching their heads. Sarah O’Brien asked if “High Ability” could be added to “ENL” on the list of programs that could not be substituted with a single test. Neil Pickett initially objected to the addition, but eventually changed his mind and, apparently, simply added “High Ability” into his motion. An idea to have “Adjunct” teachers take a pedagogy test after their 5th year was rejected by Mr. Pickett, saying that the initial “Adjunct” license should require some pedagogy. Dr. Bennett then offered the concept of the “Workplace Specialist” in which vocational area specialists, such as welders, are hired as teachers but take pedagogical courses as they are teaching during their first year on the job. That sounded fine to Mr. Pickett, and without clearly restating the wording of the motion, he summarized his position that ENL and High Ability should be excluded from the list of “test only” areas and that Adjunct permits should be tied to Workplace Specialist requirements. Dr. Bennett quickly called for second to the motion and then called for a voice vote.

The motion passed 9 – 2. Jo Blacketor, James Edwards, Dan Elsener, Neil Pickett, Sarah O’Brien, David Shane, Tony Walker, B. J. Watts and Tony Bennett voted yes. Mike Pettibone and Cari Whicker voted no. Mike Pettibone was concerned that board members did not receive a final version of the rule before voting and expressed the thought that the current method of giving emergency licenses takes adequate care of shortage areas. Cari Whicker expressed concern as a classroom teacher that she thought principals who evaluate teachers should be required to have more than 2 years of classroom teaching experience. The last version of REPA 2 cut the requirement from 5 years to 2, and also in a new controversial provision allowed experience in higher education teaching to count toward these 2 years.

What are the Potential Legal Problems Hanging over this Action?

Some have speculated that the shaky parliamentary procedure and imprecise motions might put the action in legal limbo. The deeper problem, however, relates to the law governing the passage of rules. Indiana Code 4-22-2-29 says:

IC 4-22-2-29
Adoption of rules; adoption of revised version of proposed rule
Sec. 29. (b) An agency may not adopt a rule that substantially differs from the version or versions of the proposed rule or rules published in the Indiana Register under section 24 of this chapter, unless it is a logical outgrowth of any proposed rule as supported by any written comments submitted:
(1) during the public comment period; or
(2) by the Indiana economic development corporation under IC 4-22-2.1-6(a), if applicable.

It would be easy to argue that the final REPA rule “substantially differs from the version” printed in the official record. It changes the authority to approve teacher education programs from the IDOE to the State Board. It cuts the years needed for an administrative license from 5 down to 2 and allows higher education teaching to count for this purpose without defining how much higher education teaching constitutes a year. It changes authority for content area tests for licensure from the IDOE to the State Board. Finally, in the revision made today, the “workplace specialist” pedagogy was required for Adjunct teachers.

It seems clear that “workplace specialist” pedagogy was not “supported by any written comments submitted during the public comment period” as the law requires. This idea wasn’t introduced until the last ten minutes of the discussion.

Any reasonable person watching today would think that a board considering an issue such as this should table it for further study to clarify final language before the vote. This board, no doubt for political reasons, did not want to wait. A motion was quickly patched together and passed that lawyers will now be reviewing to see if the final rule “substantially differs” from the version printed in the Indiana Register. If opponents are resolute, a lawsuit is possible citing failure to follow procedures in the law quoted above. A successful lawsuit could result in additional public hearings at a later time, during the Ritz administration.

Will a lawsuit actually be filed? Only time will tell. The ways things were handled on the crucially important issue of teacher licensing since last Friday when revisions were first revealed has left the door open to a potential legal challenge. If no legal challenge materializes, the whole episode has left a huge number of educators, parents and community leaders incensed that standards for teachers and administrators in Indiana are being lowered.

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Public Comments by Dr. Vic Smith to Indiana State Board of Ed, December 5, 2012

Public Comments by Dr. Vic Smith to Indiana State Board of Education, Dec. 5, 2012

I urge you to table the REPA 2 rules on your agenda today until the major new changes revealed just last Friday can be reviewed in additional public hearings.

The changes revealed in the revised rule released last Friday are substantial.

1. The revised draft shifts the authority for approving teacher education programs at universities from the Indiana Department of Education, as is the current practice, to the State Board of Education.

2. The revised draft cuts the classroom experience required for an administrator license from five years down to two years and would count teaching experience in higher education as classroom experience to qualify for a K-12 administrative license, either as a building level administrator or as a superintendent. This is a highly controversial subject to current administrators. No definition of how much teaching in higher education constitutes a creditable year is included in the rule. Reducing the amount of teaching experience required and eliminating the need for experience in K-12 classrooms should be subjects of additional public hearings.

3. The revised draft changes the approval of the content area tests required for licensure and the setting of the cut scores from the Indiana Department of Education to the State Board of Education.

The legal question here is whether the rule can be revised in these major ways at the last minute without triggering the need for another round of public hearings. Past practice in my 15 years of watching State Board rules go through the promulgation process has been that if hearings resulted in minor changes, those minor changes were made and the rule was passed. If major changes were made, however, the rules were resubmitted for an additional round of hearings.

I oppose all three of these changes. These revisions are clearly major changes, and under past practice, a new public hearing on the revised language should be in order.

I urge you to bring these major changes revealed for the first time last Friday to the public for additional public hearings.

Vic’s Statehouse Notes #99– December 3, 2012

Dear Friends,

Despite losing his election mandate, Dr. Bennett is pressing ahead with his controversial plan to change teacher licensing rules, known as REPA 2. He wants his new plan to be approved this Wednesday, December 5th at the regular meeting of the State Board of Education.

The only public hearing on the REPA 2 proposals was held on June 21st. There were 30 speakers that day in the Riley Room, and all 30 spoke against the proposed rules. I was one of the thirty in opposition. Only one State Board was present, Mike Pettibone. Dr. Bennett was not there. After the hearing, the rules were eligible for passage at the next State Board meeting, which was held on August 1st. Instead of bringing it up for a vote then, it was announced that it would be deferred to December. To me, this seemed like an obvious move to take the issue out of the election.

Nevertheless, REPA 2 was a subject of much discussion through the fall campaign. It was the subject of a Select Commission on Education meeting on August 14th, where the clear consensus of public testimony that I participated in was that REPA 2 would lower the standards for teachers in Indiana and was simply unnecessary.

There were some who believed that the election results would send a message that REPA 2 should be shelved, but Dr. Bennett didn’t get the message. The agenda confirming that REPA 2 would be voted on Wednesday was not released until this past Friday afternoon, Nov. 30th, presumably to shorten the time that anyone could mount a protest. The memo released on Friday was dated Nov. 27th, three days earlier, but still not released until Nov. 30th.

Also released was a 25-page summary showing in a matrix format how REPA 2 has been revised since the June hearing. You can get this summary from the IDOE website. Click on State Board of Education, then on the December 5th agenda, then on the “summary” listed under the REPA agenda item. There are many things to object to in this document. My list below is not an exhaustive list of problems, but here are some key concerns:

Revisions in REPA 2 Revealed for the First Time Last Friday, November 30th

1. The revised draft shifts the authority for approving teacher education programs at universities from the Indiana Department of Education, which would be supervised by the State Superintendent, to the State Board of Education. The votes on approving programs would be in the hands of political appointees on the State Board rather than the elected State Superintendent. This changes the current practice of having IDOE approve programs in line with the rules and would seem to set up the need for an independent staff for the State Board to do this work. This represents an obvious power grab to take authority away from Glenda Ritz and put it in the hands of the State Board appointed by the Governor. Such tactics were predicted by some after Dr. Bennett was defeated in the election, and this seems to be the first movement in the tug of war over Glenda Ritz’s authority.

The legal question here is whether the rule can be revised in this major way at the last minute without triggering the need for another round of public hearings. Past practice in my decade of watching State Board rules go through the promulgation process was that if hearings revealed minor changes were needed, those minor changes were made and the rule was passed. If major changes were made, however, the rules were resubmitted for an additional round of hearings. This revision of authority is clearly a major change, and under past practice, a new public hearing on the revised language should be in order. This legal question will throw REPA 2 into the hands of lawyers and lawsuits, which is not good for making public policy which will have the confidence of the public. It seems clear to me that this revision should be subject to additional public hearings.

2. The revised draft cuts the classroom experience required for an administrator license from five years down to two years and would count teaching experience in higher education as classroom experience for qualifying for a K-12 administrative license, either as a building level administrator or as a superintendent. This is a highly controversial subject to current administrators. Reducing the amount of teaching experience required and eliminating the need for experience in K-12 classrooms should be subject to additional public hearings.

3. The revised draft changes the approval of the content area tests required for licensure and the setting of the cut scores for those tests from the Indiana Department of Education to the State Board of Education. As discussed above, this would truncate the authority of Glenda Ritz and would set up a bureaucracy under the State Board of Education. Is this really what the General Assembly intended for the State Board of Education? It has never functioned in this way before. This change would require separate budgetary support for additional staff. Perhaps the new General Assembly will agree and will make that happen in the April budget, but to pass rules now that assume budgetary support seems more than presumptuous . At the very least, a change this big deserves more public hearings.

New Licensing Rules in REPA 2 that were Not Changed in Friday’s Revision But Should Have Been

Several controversial elements of REPA 2 remain unchanged after Friday’s revisions were revealed. These have been problems from the start of this process and remain in the document:

1. A new provision allows the appointment of “Temporary Building Level Administrators” at the request of a local school board. Under great pressure from Governor Daniels, a license for a “Temporary Superintendent” was allowed in rules passed in 2010 (REPA 1). That plan did not go so far as allowing for temporary principals on the same basis, but REPA 2 does go that far. This concept reverses the reforms of the early 20th century when cronyism and nepotism influenced the appointment of administrators in many local communities. The reform then was to have administrative candidates show that they were qualified in the eyes of impartial licensing agents, the university administrator programs. This provision throws the door open again to local cronyism. This is the kind of local control that no one is asking for. This provision cheapens the credentials of all administrators who have worked hard to pass the existing credential requirements and are now told they weren’t really necessary.

2. New content areas can be added with no new coursework but by passing a test, a test now to be supervised as noted above by the State Board of Education and not by the Indiana Department of Education. The revision revealed Friday removed four areas from eligibility for the “test only” addition: Exceptional Needs, Communication Disorders, Early Childhood, and Elementary Education. These removals are a step in the right direction, but all other content areas are still eligible, from Economics to Physical Education, to be added to a license without any coursework but by simply passing a test.

3. Any applicant holding a Bachelor’s Degree who passes a content test and has a 3.0 GPA in the content area in which the applicant intends to teach can get a 5 year teaching permit, called an “Adjunct Teacher Permit.” This permit allows teachers into the classroom who have had no teacher pedagogy courses. While other parts of REPA require 10 weeks of student teaching instead of 9, the “Adjunct Teacher Permit” allows teachers to teach for five years who have had no student teaching. This is a bad idea which negates all that we have learned about preparing teachers in the past century. I spoke against this provision at the Select Commission hearing in August, and I have attached my comments if you were like to read more details about this huge step backward.

What Can You Do About This?

In summary, the REPA 2 rules are a combination of new bad ideas introduced last Friday and old bad ideas that were not supported by any speaker in the June public hearing. How long can Dr. Bennett and the State Board keep moving in directions opposed by the vast majority of Indiana education stakeholders?

Here are your options if you would like to speak up on this issue:

1. Attend Wednesday’s State Board meeting (December 5th, 9am, in the Riley Room of the IDOE, at the corner of Ohio and Capital) and sign up to speak during Public Comments. Anyone who signs in before 9am on the list provided has the right to speak for at least 3 minutes. Sometimes they allow 5 minutes. Say what is on your mind, asking for changes or for a delay to review the major changes. It is important that the State Board members hear from speakers representing many geographic areas of Indiana. Come and speak briefly if you can, remembering that to do so, you must sign in before 9am.

2. Emails or call members of the State Board of Education to express your opposition. This decision is in their hands on Wednesday. They have had many messages already, but more would help.

3. Complain loudly to your State Senators and State Representative about what the State Board is trying to do. They can’t control the State Board on this vote, but when the State Board asks for the budget to pay for additional staff, members of the General Assembly will have been informed by you of the problems in this proposal and the overreach of authority by the State Board.

4. Inform the public through the media where possible. Let the public know that the new direction that voters asked for in the election is being ignored by Dr. Bennett and the State Board and that standards for teachers and principals in Indiana classrooms are being lowered.

5. Start petitions directed at State Board members and members of the General Assembly who oversee education, asking them to table these new changes until additional public hearings are held. Time is short for petitions, but it can be an effective way to express outrage to the decision makers involved.

I oppose passage of REPA 2 as revised last Friday. I am outraged that so little time has been allowed from Friday afternoon to Wednesday’s vote (5 days) to review these major changes, after IDOE took five months to prepare the revisions. I believe the revision is wrong to shift program approval and the setting of cut scores for teacher testing from the IDOE to the State Board in an obvious political power grab.

If you can help resist these changes in any of the ways listed above, please do so.

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Vic’s Election Notes on Education #11– November 26, 2012

Dear Friends,

The grass had many, many roots.

The improbable but convincing victory of Glenda Ritz on November 6th is a tribute to thousands of individuals who took action at the grassroots level. If you convinced one, two, five or a hundred others to vote for Glenda Ritz and her agenda, you are to be thanked and congratulated for making democracy work. Clearly, the people did not stand with Tony Bennett’s agenda for education in Indiana. The people have spoken resoundingly.

I was planning to end my series of notes on the election as of Election Day. That seemed to be a logical transition to end my commentaries on candidates and return to my commentaries on issues. which I call “Vic’s Statehouse Notes.” Silly me. I should have known the election doesn’t end with the election. The election must be spun and spun to persuade voters of the meaning of their votes.

Governor Daniels and Governor-Elect Pence held a press conference the day after the election to try to spin the obvious fact that Tony Bennett’s policies were strongly rejected by the voters. They claimed that since Republicans were returned to power in the House and since Mike Pence was elected, the support for education changes they have advocated remains “rock solid”. They somehow ignored the fact that the Governor and members of the General Assembly are elected based on a huge range of issues, not just education. In the only race when education was the complete agenda, Glenda Ritz was elected by 53% to 47% with over 1.3 million votes, after a campaign in which she directly contested Tony Bennett’s agenda on numerous points. She actually got more votes than Mike Pence, who only won 49.8% of the vote.

Who were Governor Daniels and Governor-Elect Pence trying to convince in this post-election spin cycle? Clearly, it was not the voters, who had their say on Nov. 6th and can’t speak again for two more years. No, the primary audience here was the General Assembly. The leaders want legislators to believe that nothing has changed regarding their mission to remake the landscape of public education with privatization measures. They want legislators to feel safe from voter backlash regarding education policies. In 2011, the leadership kept caucus members in line on the voucher bill and other key measures by threatening to run opponents in the primary or remove legislators from key committees. The sure knowledge that punishment will follow if individual legislators oppose leadership on key education bills is how the caucus held members in place when constituents pushed back. The strategic use of fear of punishment has been extremely effective in the past two years, but now a new fear has been introduced on education matters which may balance the playing field: the fear of being “Ritzed”. I had to smile when I read that election observers had coined a new verb in the days after the vote. To be “Ritzed” is to be unexpectedly defeated by a passionate grassroots effort based on a candidate’s failure to support public education. The question becomes this: Will the passionate grassroots army that swept Glenda Ritz into office now disband or will it continue to function and focus on the positions that legislators take on public education bills?

The first clue to answering that question shows that the army is not disbanding. Immediately after the gubernatorial press conference, dedicated advocates for public education and for Glenda Ritz responded with an online petition to “honor our 1,300,000 votes for Glenda Ritz.” This is old news to many of you who have already signed this petition, but for those who have not seen it, I invite you to use this link to read it and sign it.

http://www.change.org/petitions/governor-daniels-governor-elect-pence-the-indiana-state-legislature-honor-our-1-300-000-votes-for-glenda-ritz

The last time I checked, over 8900 people had signed the petition. I hope you will join them.

I will close with a cautionary note from history. Once before during my career an unpopular Republican State Superintendent was defeated by a teacher. The year was 1970. John Loughlin, a math teacher from South Bend was elected for what was then a two-year term. He was defeated in the next election.

This is the final “Vic’s Election Notes on Education” for this election cycle. Thank you for your interest and for all the notes I have received from you.

As time permits, I will send new commentaries in “Vic’s Statehouse Notes.” Starting in January, I will be writing in the ICPE Newsletter to give you regular updates on education bills in the General Assembly, pointing out who needs to be contacted about what specific issues. The newsletter goes to all members of the Indiana Coalition for Public Education. Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership information.

Keep up the good work for public education!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.

Book Review: A Mindful Nation

A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit by Tim Ryan

Reviewed by Susie Berry

This author, Tim Ryan, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 at the age of 29. He is serving his fifth term and is focusing on improving the economic and social well-being of his constituents in Northeast Ohio. And now he is an author!

Ryan practices “mindfulness” each day and has researched how this practice of quiet thinking and quiet breathing can help war veterans, abusers, abuse victims, educators, and students. One of his researchers claims that time spent on mindfulness is time well spent. Jon Kabat-Zinn says that “we can be calm, open, attentive, and gentle, no matter how stressed out and self-absorbed we’ve become.” We can teach our children this same skill. Ryan says that kids who can regulate their emotions will do better in school. He says that kids who practice mindfulness will be more attentive and less distracted both at school and at home.

Ryan observed real public school classrooms and watched teachers help kids learn to be “mindful.” He watched classes of students learn about their brains and their emotions. He introduced us to several projects and the schools that were supporting them. Neuroscience supports this method of working with kids and now data is being collected to document its success.

Ryan feels strongly about these programs and is confident of their continued success. These ideas and programs sure feel healthier to me than adding another test to a child’s school day.

# # #

Diane Ravitch Interview

Diane Ravitch discusses her views on education reform.

Diane Ravitch is interviewed on Chicago Tonight...talking about Education Reform

She was one of the strongest voices in the school reform movement, but less than a decade ago, Diane Ravitch, a former assistant secretary of education under President George H. W. Bush, had a change of heart.

Watch November 20, 2012 - Diane Ravitch on Education Reform on PBS. See more from Chicago Tonight.

Never Underestimate Your Ability to Get the Message Out

The following came to us from Julian Smith, an Indiana Teacher...

I share this little anecdote to put an exclamation mark on a point.

I took my son Brooks to a walkin clinic yesterday to get a strep test. While we were waiting on the results, the nurse practioner commented, "So you say you're a teacher?"

I responded, "No, I didn't say, but yes I am."

She continues, "So what did you think of the election?"

Says I, "Well, if you're referring to the Glenda Ritz race, and her beating Tony Bennett, I'm still simply ecstatic. How do you feel about it?"

Then she drops the bomb on me. She says, "I'm a Republican, but I voted for Ritz." She then ask me, "Didn't you write a couple letters to the newspaper?"

I tell her, "Yes in fact I did, but how did you remember my name and connect it to a random guy coming through this clinic? "

Her reply was simply, "I read a lot."

She then went on to tell me if it weren't for the letters in the paper and all the talk on Facebook, she would have voted for Bennett as she had no other way to get informed. She says, "He sure had some good ads, but when I read what teachers had to say about him and his brand of reform, I realized he must be a pretty slick operator." She went on to say, "He sure did an effective job of making it look like it was all for kids, but the more I read, the more I suspected it was cover for his effort to privatize public schools."

At that point, once I got my jaw picked up from the floor, I told her she should consider being a detective because she possessed some formidable powers of intuition to get all that from reading a few letters in the paper and some post on Facebook:-)

...and here's the reality. There must have been nearly a million other nonteacher voters that made their decision the same way. They heard the voices and concerns of thousands of teachers, and they placed their confidence in teacher assessment rather than a ficticious slick glitzy campaign ad based on fantasy. This fact is incredibly uplifting, encouraging, and empowering.

So, now we have another duty and responsibility, as if you need more! Now, we must keep talking, and keep telling the story, and informing those that entrusted their votes to our judgement. We can not and must not retreat to the seeming security of our classrooms, close the door, and bear the brunt of the Republican bellicose bullies. Silence is no longer an option.

Here's the point. Never underestimate your ability to get the message out. It will resonate with someone. It doesn't cost anything to write a letter or speak a few words, except the investment of a tiny bit of time. When they are published or spoken, people take note. And when exposed to truth, many will be influenced to come to the aid of our common cause with their votes and to advocate for children and our public schools with their voices.

--
Julian Smith
President JCCTA
ISTA/IPACE
Units 3/F,G and H

Stop Race to the Top

For those of you looking for a way to stop the Race to the Top, please join the national campaign to stop the Race to the Top. Tuesday is the day that Hoosier citizens have been asked to call.

Call the White House. A national campaign to stop Race to the Top.
Contact the White House weekly at 202-456-1111 on your state’s designated day.

Message: Give all students the same education your girls are getting! Abandon Race to the Top and stop privatizing public schools.

MONDAY
1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia

TUESDAY
1. Hawaii
2. Idaho
3. Illinois
4. Indiana
5. Iowa
6. Kansas
7. Kentucky
8. Louisiana
9. Maine
10. Maryland

WEDNESDAY
1. Massachusetts
2. Michigan
3. Minnesota
4. Mississippi
5. Missouri
6. Montana
7. Nebraska
8. Nevada
9. New Hampshire
10. New Jersey

THURSDAY
1. New Mexico
2. New York
3. North Carolina
4. North Dakota
5. Ohio
6. Oklahoma
7. Oregon
8. Pennsylvania
9. Rhode Island
10. South Carolina

FRIDAY
1. South Dakota
2. Tennessee
3. Texas
4. Utah
5. Vermont
6. Virginia
7. Washington
8. West Virginia
9. Wisconsin
10. Wyoming

Petition to Support Public Education in Indiana

Some folks have started a petition to ask the governor and legislature to acknowledge that Glenda Ritz, the Superintendent of Public Instruction-elect was elected to change the plan which Tony Bennett has been pushing in Indiana.

Click HERE to sign the petition.

Here's the content:

Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as our new Superintendent of Public Instruction by a large margin. She received roughly 1,300,000 votes--about 100,000 more votes than the governor-elect, Mike Pence. Now, however, Governor Daniels refuses to acknowledge that our election of Glenda Ritz sent a clear message on the direction of school reform, saying instead: "The consensus and momentum for reform and change in Indiana is rock solid." Governor-elect Mike Pence is also choosing to interpret the election results as a "strong affirmation on the progress of education reform in this state," (Journal Gazette 11/8/12). On the contrary: when Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as superintendent, we rejected the top-down, corporate reform model imposed by the state. We embraced Ritz's platform and her research-backed proposals to support and improve our public schools.

Petition Letter

Dear Governor, Indiana Legislators and D.O.E. Board,

Indiana voters elected Glenda Ritz as Superintendent of Public Instruction by a large margin. She received roughly 1,300,000 votes--about 100,000 more votes than the governor-elect, Mike Pence. We call upon Governor Daniels, future governor Mike Pence, the D.O.E. Board, and our legislature to respect voters' clear message on the direction of public education in Indiana. We affirm our support for our candidate and her platform:

"More time to education, less time to testing" The use of high-stake testing to judge children, schools, and communities harms the process of teaching and learning.

"More control to local school districts to implement state and federal standards" Local schools need resources and support, not rigid dictates.

"Clear the barriers to quality vocational education" Schools must be given the flexibility to support a vibrant curriculum for high school students' vocational interests.

"Make teacher licensing and evaluation standards top in the nation" All children should be taught by qualified instructors. Effective teacher preparation programs are vital, and teacher licensing should be based upon comprehensive, effective teacher preparation.

"Stop the flow of public tax dollars to private education companies running take-over schools"

We believe public tax dollars belong in public schools. All school districts in Indiana deserve equitable funding.

The vote for Glenda Ritz is a mandate for the protection of the child's constitutional right to a free, high-quality public education as articulated in Article 8, Section 1 of the Indiana State Constitution, funded by tax dollars.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

And here's another one which seems to be specifically directed at supporters of Mike Pence, the Indiana Governor-elect.

November 9, 2012: Question of the Day

Do you think that Mike Pence and the Indiana legislators are representing your choice of direction for public education?

What can we as educators, parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens do to push back against the legislators who refuse to acknowledge that we voted against these ill conceived reforms?

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Click the question mark below to see all our Questions of the Day or click the link in the sidebar.

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FWCS Seeks Input on School Choice

Krista J. Stockman
Public Information Officer
Fort Wayne Community Schools
www.fortwayneschools.org
Phone: 260.467.2022
Fax: 260.467.1980
We Are Your Schools

FWCS Seeks Input on School Choice

Fort Wayne Community Schools is reaching out to parents and community members to better understand what influences their decisions when choosing a school for their children.

A School Choice Survey will be launched Wednesday, Nov. 7, to gather feedback about numerous factors, including awareness of school choice options and the priority given to school environment, school success and the availability of student support services.

“We understand that parents have many choices — both within Fort Wayne Community Schools and outside of the District —when deciding where to send their children to school,” said Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson. “We also recognize and appreciate that parents know their children’s educational needs best and put much thought into their final decision. This survey will help us better understand the factors that lead to those decisions.”

Working once again with independent research and communication firm K12 Insight, the survey is accessible through a link on the YourVoice section of the District’s website at http://fwcs.k12.in.us/admin/yourvoice.php. All answers are strictly confidential. Last year, the district partnered with K12 Insight on community-wide surveys focusing on aging school facilities and how best to direct funds from the FWCS Foundation.

Parents who have provided the district with their e-mail addresses will receive e-mail invitations to participate, but the survey is open to everyone in the FWCS community. Those interested in participating may provide their e-mail addresses through the Your Voice portal to ensure receipt of future surveys. Parents will be invited to participate in the survey this week while attending Parent-Teacher Conferences. Parents without computer access will be allowed to use computers at their child’s school at other times as well. Others without Internet access can visit a branch of the Allen County Public Library for access. Residents may also call the school district at467-2020 to request a paper copy of the survey. The goal is to ensure community-wide participation and feedback.

The survey closes on Friday, Nov. 30. The District will use the results of the survey as a basis for discussion in public work sessions conducted by the FWCS Board of School Trustees.

“Fort Wayne Community Schools is proud of our policy allowing students to attend any school in the district, based on space availability,” Robinson said. “Each of our schools strives to offer quality instruction, innovative programs and student support systems to create the best learning environment possible for every student. And for those parents who have chosen to send their children to schools outside of the district, their honest input will greatly help us understand where we need to focus our efforts so that we can best achieve our goal of being every family’s school system of choice.”

With nearly 32,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is Indiana's second-largest school district. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 51 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.

Vic’s Election Notes on Education #10– November 4, 2012

Dear Friends,

For advocates for public education, the choice in the gubernatorial race is clear. Only John Gregg can give Glenda Ritz a new State Board of Education to repair the flawed A-F system and to give education policies a new direction in support of public education in Indiana.

The Democrats, John Gregg for Governor and Vi Simpson for Lt. Governor, are both advocates for public education. In my direct observations in the Statehouse since I started watching the General Assembly in 1997, both have consistently voted to provide better funding for public schools. John Gregg as Speaker of the House and Vi Simpson as a leading member of the finance committee have been direct participants in building the school funding formula, and I came to know them both as true friends of public schools. Both have consistently voted against public money going to private school tuition via vouchers or tax credits. Vi Simpson was the leader of the Democrats in the Senate when all 13 Democrats voted against the 2011 voucher bill. It was not enough, but she spoke eloquently in support of public schools.

The Republicans, Mike Pence for Governor and Sue Ellspermann for Lt. Governor, are not advocates for public education. Mike Pence has made it clear he would not restore the $300 million cut from public school funding in the revenue crisis of December 2009. He voted for private school vouchers for Washington, DC, a highly controversial measure that barely passed Congress nearly a decade ago. Congress then ended the DC voucher program in the huge February 2009 stimulus bill. In tough budget bargaining after the 2010 elections, the resurgent Republican caucus brought DC vouchers back to life. Mike Pence has vocally supported vouchers throughout these legislative battles. He has endorsed an expansion of Indiana’s new voucher program and has said he wants to invest more money into it. The current voucher program was sold as a cost savings because to be eligible students must be in a public school first and then transfer to a private school. No doubt he would like to remove that restriction. Sue Ellspermann, in her only session as a member of the General Assembly, voted for the 2011 voucher law that I and many other public school advocates had strongly opposed.

For their support of public education, I support John Gregg for Governor and Vi Simpson for Lt. Governor.

The State Board of Education: Appointed by the Governor

The biggest impact John Gregg could have on correcting the direction of education in Indiana would be to bring us a new State Board of Education. The current board has two recent appointees, but the veterans on the board have a long record of ignoring stakeholders on key issues:

1. The April 2010 public hearing on whether schools should have letter grades attracted 57 speakers, and 56 opposed the plan. No member of the State Board was there to listen. A week later, the board voted with only one dissenting vote to have letter grades with no formula in place for how the grades would be determined.
2. The January 2012 public hearing on how the grades would be determined attracted 35 speakers, and they all opposed the plan, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Charter School Association. Only one member of the 11-member board was there to listen. Three weeks later, the board passed the controversial A-F system which undervalues our schools and hurts out-of-state job recruitment by giving 18% D’s and F’s while Florida, a state that Indiana outperforms on the National Assessment, gives 6% of its schools D’s and F’s.
3. The June 2012 public hearing on lowering the standards for teacher licensing, known as REPA 2, attracted 30 speakers, and they all opposed the plan. Only one member of the State Board was there to listen. They have conveniently put off the final vote on this controversial change until after the election.

Indiana needs a State Board of Education that will listen to the stakeholders when they have concerns. Absentee board members say they read the testimony, but that is no substitute for being there to listen in person to those who have driven to the hearing to express their concerns and, in some cases, their outrage.

We don’t have legislative hearings in the General Assembly without a quorum present. We need a State Board that attends public hearings. We need a State Board that listens to the people.

Historical Perspective

I have been totally amazed at the differences a decade has made in the State Board. After the new accountability plan (PL 221) was passed in 1999, the State Board held several hearings over a two year period before all parties came together to agree on a plan, the one that lasted from October 2001 until Tony Bennett dismantled it in February 2012. The State Board in 2001, appointed by Gov. O’Bannon, actually attended the hearings and listened. They withdrew proposed plans and started over at least twice before a final plan was agreed to by all. Dr. Reed and the State Board were acting as mediators between the business community and the education community to devise the best plan, and a compromise plan was finally reached in October 2001.

Now fast forward to 2012. The education community and the business community testified in agreement in January’s public hearing that the proposed A-F system was flawed. It didn’t matter. This State Board didn’t care to listen to stakeholders. They and Dr. Bennett had the votes, and they passed the A-F system that every speaker thought was defective. Only John Gregg can correct this injustice and reign in the State Board of Education from its policies which undervalue our schools and lower the standards for becoming a teacher in Indiana.

It’s Time to Vote

This is the last in my series of “Election Notes” because the election is two days away. The direction of public education in Indiana would improve remarkably if Glenda Ritz and John Gregg can be elected. There are still many things you can do in this grassroots campaign to bring victory:

1. Call people. Think of other friends and family across the state who may not have heard about these education issues. Give then a quick call on Monday.
2. Visit people. Going door-to-door to homes where they don’t know you is best done between 4pm and 6pm on Monday. Print off your Glenda Ritz handouts from the attachment and spend two more hours talking with neighbors. I was out Sunday afternoon and found an encouraging number of neighbors who have already heard of the problems Tony Bennett’s policies have caused for public schools.
3. Distribute Ritz handouts at a polling place on Tuesday. This is probably a self-appointed task because it’s a big state and the Ritz campaign can only organize people to do this in some locations. Copy off a supply of handouts and stand outside your favorite polling place for as many hours as you can arrange. Give a friendly invitation to all who come to vote to consider Glenda Ritz as you hand them a flyer. This can make a bigger difference in the election than you might think. I have done this at my polling place for several years, and each time I can count between 10 and 20 votes that I have influenced because I am a neighbor they know and I have information about a race they have not heard much about. Now consider what a 10 vote swing in every precinct in the state would mean in the totals. That is the potential. Go for it!

The future of public education in Indiana is at a crossroads in this election. Will we elect a leader who will continue down the road to privatization and for-profit takeover schools, or will we elect a leader who will focus public money on public schools and return common sense to grading schools and testing students?

This is a democracy, and we have our chance to influence this choice. I urge you to vigorously share your thoughts with voters for two more days, and then let the people speak. This election will set the path for education in Indiana for years to come.

Keep up the good work!
Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Election Notes on Education” is not linked to any organization and is not being distributed by me to any organization. It is only being distributed to those who have previously sent personal requests for my commentaries. If you want to pass it along to others, you do not need to ask my permission. If you want to be taken off the distribution list, just let me know. If you know of others who want to be added to the list, just send me an email.

Some readers have asked about my background in Indiana public schools. Thanks for asking! Here is a brief bio:

I am a lifelong Hoosier and began teaching in 1969. I served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, state research and evaluation consultant, state social studies consultant, district social studies supervisor, assistant principal, principal, educational association staff member, and adjunct university professor. I worked for Garrett-Keyser-Butler Schools, the Indiana University Social Studies Development Center, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indianapolis Public Schools, IUPUI, and the Indiana Urban Schools Association, from which I retired as Associate Director in 2009. I hold three degrees: B.A. in Ed., Ball State University, 1969; M.S. in Ed., Indiana University, 1972; and Ed.D., Indiana University, 1977, along with a Teacher’s Life License and a Superintendent’s License, 1998.