Vic’s Statehouse Notes #297 – April 29, 2017

Dear Friends,

The 120th General Assembly reduced the powers of voters. Democracy in Indiana has taken a hit.

In the historic final vote on Tuesday April 18th, the power of voters to elect the State Superintendent of Public Instruction was ended after 166 years. The power taken away from the voters was given to the Governor.

Starting in 2025, the Governor will appoint a Secretary of Education. The Governor is not required to appoint someone with K-12 experience. The illusory language of the bill leaves the impression that K-12 experience is required but when the words are examined closely, K-12 is not mentioned.

With this vote, democracy in Indiana was diminished.

For 166 years, voters could pick a State Superintendent who had an independent mandate from the electorate as the education leader in Indiana. Now, more power has been handed to the Governor. Voters who want to influence the direction of education policy in Indiana had better focus on the race for Governor.

If the privatization of public education in Indiana is to be reversed, voters will need to find a candidate for Governor who will be a champion for public education. After 2020, voters will no longer be able send a message to change the direction of education in Indiana by voting for a State Superintendent as they did in 2012.

House Bill 1005 – From Decisive Defeat to the Governor’s Desk

House Bill 1005 took a nearly unprecedented path to reach the final vote:

• House Bill 1005 passed the House 68-29.

• SB 179, identical to HB 1005, failed in the Senate 23-26. Many thought defeating the bill would end the proposal for this session.

• Senate rules say that when a bill is defeated “that exact language or substantially similar language shall be considered decisively defeated and shall not be considered again during the session.”

• In a Senate Rules Committee meeting in which Democrats pointedly argued that the rules say “shall not be considered again during the session,” the Republican leadership claimed that they were making the bill “substantially different.” Republicans had the votes to win the argument.

• The “substantial differences” were found in three changes:

1) The date of the first appointment by the Governor was changed from 2021 to 2025.

2) A requirement of two years residency in Indiana was reinstated.

3) Qualifications were stated which give the illusion that experience in K-12 education is required to be appointed. In fact, K-12 experience is not mandated, a conclusion confirmed in a statement on the floor of the Senate by the bill’s sponsor Senator Buck while speaking against a proposed amendment: “While we are trying to consider the availability to the Governor of somebody that would be the administrator of our department of ed, I hope we realize that someone with the depth of experience of executive leadership and in higher ed such as former Governor Mitch Daniels would be excluded from that category . I think it gives the Governor a great deal of latitude in looking to somebody that has executive experience in the field of education.”

• Read carefully the new slippery language on qualifications:

“(2) has demonstrated personal and professional leadership success, preferably in the administration of public education;”

“(3) possesses an earned advanced degree , preferably in education or educational administration, awarded from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university; and”

“(4) either:

(A) at the time of taking office is licensed or otherwise employed as a teacher, principal, or superintendent;

(B) has held a license as a teacher, superintendent, or principal, or any combination of these licenses, for at least five (5) years at any time before taking office; or

(C) has a total of at least five (5) years of work experience as any of the following, or any combination of the following, before taking office:

(i) Teacher.
(ii) Superintendent.
(iii) Principal.
(iv) Executive in the field of education.

• The word “preferably” has no meaning under the law. It can obviously be ignored. It is surprising that such a word is used in the bill. Using “preferably” means that it is not necessary to appoint a public education administrator to be State Superintendent. Similarly it is not necessary to appoint someone with a degree in education or educational administration.

• This “preferably” language and the phrase “Executive in the field of education” open the door to appointing a business leader with executive experience in an education field such as testing or technology. Superintendents in Indiana are no longer required to have a superintendent’s license.

• Another concern is whether it was written for a higher education official to be appointed. No reference to K-12 experience or degrees is included in the amendment. It is not clear that those who wrote this legislation wanted a leader with K-12 experience.

• After the Senate Rules Committee added these amendments, the full Senate passed the historic bill 28-20.

• At this point, Speaker Bosma as bill sponsor had a choice. He could take the bill to a conference committee to restore the House’s bill language or he could ask the House to concur with the Senate language. After several days, he decided to opt for a concurrence vote in the House which passed 66-31 on April 18th.

Bi-Partisan Opposition and Partisan Support

For all the discussion of past Democratic leaders wanting this change, the final votes in both the House (66-31)and the Senate (28-20) on HB 1005 showed bi-partisan opposition and, except for one vote, partisan support.

• In the House, the yes votes were cast by 65 Republicans and one Democrat, Representative Goodin.

• In the House, the no votes were cast by 28 Democrats and 3 Republicans, Representatives Judy, Nisly and Pressel.

• In the Senate, all 28 yes votes were cast by Republicans.

• In the Senate, the no votes were cast by all 9 Democrats and 11 Republicans, Senators Becker, Bohacek, Crane, Glick, Grooms, Head, Kenley, Koch, Kruse, Leising and Tomes.

Will Voters React?

If voters are offended about losing the powers they have had for 166 years, they have only one way to react and that is at the polls in the next election if candidates make this an issue for voters to respond to. It is now up to the candidates.

Speaker Bosma made it clear that he is confident that there will be no voter backlash when he told the IndyStar “they could potentially present bills moving up the implementation date in future legislative sessions.” (April 19, 2017, p. 10A)

No polling has been done to my knowledge about how Hoosier votes feel about losing their power to elect the State Superintendent after 166 years. Some legislators reported that their constituent surveys showed opposition by wide margins to the loss of the power to elect the State Superintendent.

If voters are strongly offended by this power grab by the Governor and the leadership of the supermajority, candidates in the next primary or general election may try to hammer this issue home with voters. If voters are willing to give up this power without a fight, not much will be heard. Whether the action becomes a controversy among voters is now up to the voters and the candidates. Candidates may decide that undermining the power of voters after 166 years is a bipartisan issue that would attract the attention of voters in the 2018 elections.

The Case that Democracy Has Been Diminished

The case that HB 1005 has undermined democracy in Indiana is clear:

The Governor and the State Superintendent, both duly elected by the people, strongly disagreed. Instead of letting the voters settle the disagreement at the next election, which is what elections and democracy are all about, the Governor and the Republican leadership have suppressed future disagreement by ending the independent mandate from voters held by the State Superintendent since 1851, 166 years ago.

Since Governors are elected on many issues and education is a minor issue in gubernatorial campaigns, voters have lost their direct power to correct the course of education when they are motivated to do so, as they were in 2012. Removing public dissent on education in this manner aligns with Milton Friedman’s plan to gradually deconstruct public education and fund a marketplace of private schools with public tax dollars.

Will this mean that the days of electing the Attorney General, the Auditor and the Treasurer are now numbered to avoid conflict and to give more power to the Governor? Are we on a slippery slope to a weaker and weaker democracy where the power of the ballot box is diminished?

Are Voters Angry?

Time will tell if voters are angry enough about this issue to bring it to the next election. If you as a voter feel strongly about losing your power to elect the Indiana State Superintendent, you should talk with candidates or potential candidates who might carry your message in the next election. As we have all seen nationally, calls to repeal laws can become potent campaign issues.

Thank you for your active support of public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Vic’s Statehouse Notes #296 – April 21, 2017

Dear Friends,

There is no joy in Mudville over the funding for public schools in the final budget.

The budget was posted for review in the wee hours this morning and will be voted on tonight.

If you want to see the budget and the school funding formula for yourself, it is posted on the General Assembly website on the House Republican page.

Here are my sad conclusions after a quick read. No doubt given more time there could be more concerns.

If you want to share your opinions with legislators, please feel free, although there is no doubt that the budget will pass tonight, perhaps after midnight.

1) Tax credits for private school scholarships run by Scholarship Granting Organizations hit a bonanza!

• Current funding in 2016-17 was $9.5 million.

• Funding for next year 2017-18 has been raised to $12.5 million, up 31%.

• Funding for every year starting in 2018-19 will be $14 million, a 12% raise about $12.5 million.

• This adds up to a $7.5 million increase in the two-year budget. This is a large increase to promote private school tuition when most public school categorical funding has been absolutely frozen. Summer School funding, for example, has been stuck on $18.3 million for years. The private school proponents showed their influence once again.

Let’s hope someone starts checking the SGO audits. These are largely unsupervised groups, and they are now getting more public money than Alternative Education ($6M) and the Senator Ford Technology Fund ($3M) combined. Under the law, the SGO can keep 10% for overhead and salaries. Do the math. They must be well paid.

2) The Senate budget’s excellent effort to put a line item in the budget for Choice Scholarships has disappeared from the final budget.

Money for private school vouchers will again be taken from the same Tuition Support budget line item used for all K-12 schools. Transparency in line items has been requested for years and is still not part of the budget.

There is a helpful statement of cost projections for Choice Scholarships on the last page of the School Funding formula. It projects $156 million (a 7.2% increase) for the first year and $167 million (a 6.9% increase) for the second year in funding Choice Scholarships based on an estimate that voucher enrollment would increase 5.8% the first year and would increase 5.5% in the second year.

3) The final budget funded K-12 schools with $345 million new dollars in the two-year budget, a total of $13 million less than the Senate budget. The hope that a $200 million gain in the April revenue forecast would give K-12 an extra boost turned out to be a mirage.

• The House budget (Feb.) raised K-12 funding by $77 M in the 1st year and by $273 M over two years. (Percentage increases: 1.1% in the 1st year and 1.7% in the 2nd year)

• The Senate budget (March) raised K-12 by $117 M in the 1st year and by $358 M over two years. (Percentage increases: 1.7% in the 1st year and 1.7% in the 2nd year)

• The final budget (April 21) raised K-12 by $113 M in the 1st year and by $345 M over two years. (Percentage increases: 1.6% in the 1st year and 1.7% in the 2nd year)

It is extremely disappointing that the Senate budget increase of $358 million was not maintained in the final budget, especially given the new revenue forecast.

There was no time for a full analysis of how school districts fared in the final funding formula, but the Senate budget is an indicator of the stress to school districts that will come with this budget since the final budget is close to the Senate budget. The Senate budget gave 144 districts either a negative percentage increase or less than a 1% increase, which is well below inflation.

These low increases mean hard times ahead for the resources available to many K-12 students in approximately half of the school districts in Indiana.

It is sad that Indiana leaders could not do better for their K-12 students. While the 1.6% and 1.7% increases are better than the 1.0% in FY 2013 and FY 2015, they are well below recent increases given in FY 2014 (2.0%), in FY 2016 (2.3%) and in the current year FY 2017 (2.3%).

Keep talking with your legislators about how you feel they are doing for public schools.

Thank you for your strong support of public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Blog Launch: Kind of a Big Dill

NEIFPE co-founder, Phyllis Bush has started her own Blog, Kind of a Big Dill. Her latest post is

Just when you thought you had read enough blogs...

...Today I had a PET scan. We went to the PET Scan office, and what seemed like a scene straight out of a Sci-Fi movie, a tech in a white lab coat came out and said, “Here is your drink, Phyllis.” While it wasn’t nearly as nasty as drinking Miralax laced with Gatorade for other lab preps, it took half an hour to drink. Then I was escorted into another room where I sat in a recliner with my arm hooked up to an IV filled with some radioactive stuff. I asked the tech if I would glow in the dark when I got home, and he assured me that I wouldn’t. However, I plan to test out my theory by going into the basement and turning out the lights just to make sure. After an hour of this, I got into the PET scan machine, which had an opening large enough that my borderline claustrophobia did not kick in. All in all, the whole process took about two and a half hours, and it gave me a lot of time to think...

[...]

Click HERE to read the entire blog post. Be sure to subscribe by entering your email address in the "Follow My Blog by Email" box in the right-hand column of Phyllis's blog page.

✏️✏️✏️

Vic’s Statehouse Notes #295 – April 19, 2017

Dear Friends,

Thanks to all who came to Tuesday’s rally for better K-12 funding!

The letter delivery and contacts with legislators afterward brought excellent conversations such as mine with Senator Ruckelshaus. Joel Hand and Indiana PTA leader Deb Fox were both interviewed on Channel 59 to get the message out that we need to do better for our K-12 students in the budget.

House Bill 1004 - PreKindergarten

This afternoon (Wed., April 19) the Conference Committee Report on the prekindergarten bill (HB 1004) was released. The final bill will be voted on tomorrow.

The final version, while it narrowed the problem, did not break the link between getting a pre-K grant and getting a K-12 voucher. The final version thus creates a new eighth pathway to K-12 vouchers. Those who get a pre-K grant will be eligible for a K-12 voucher in many cases.

This is a provision that has nothing to do with the pre-K experience but will help private and religious schools build their voucher program.

The final version of the 1004 also reverses a ban on using pre-K grants funds to expand capital facilities. This reversal would allow private or public preschools to use the grant funds for facility expansion. This would of course be especially helpful to expand private facilities that serve K-12 voucher students.

If you oppose the K-12 voucher expansion in the pre-K bill, please contact your Senator or any Senator tonight or tomorrow morning to let them know you oppose the final version of HB 1004 and ask them to vote against it.

• Remind them that the Senate version passed with no language to expand K-12 vouchers and that’s the way it should be. The path to universal vouchers should not go through the pre-K program.

• Remind them that the pre-K pilot program has been running just fine with no provision to give pre-K students a lifetime K-12 voucher.

• Remind them if pre-K students go to private schools that want them to stay for K-12 enrollment, they can get a School Scholarship from the vastly expanded tax credit program run by Scholarship Granting Organizations. The new budget is going to give $3 million additional dollars each year (a 31% increase) to the tax credit School Scholarship program, bringing the annual total available to $12.5 million. This should adequately cover any tuition need for pre-K students to enroll in private K-12 schools.

Thank you for any contacts you can make with Senators tonight or tomorrow and for your active support of public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Vic’s Statehouse Notes #294 – April 16, 2017

Dear Friends,

Come to the Statehouse rally for K-12 funding on Tuesday afternoon, April 18th! Come to the rally at 3:30pm in the North Atrium. Carry a message to your legislator that Indiana can do better for our K-12 students!

If you can’t come but are concerned about funding for our K-12 students, send a friend or a family member who can be there Tuesday afternoon. Indiana’s K-12 students need your voices!

• We need parents who are concerned about sufficient support for their child’s school in the budget and the potential need to close schools. Indiana PTA is co-sponsoring the rally.

• We need educators and retired educators who are concerned about meager per student increases and the potential for budget cuts and higher class sizes.

• We need community leaders and business leaders who know that strong public schools are the centerpiece of strong communities and that they need stable funding that at least keeps up with inflation.

Make a statement in support of public education funding in the crucial two-year budget!

There are excellent reasons for doing so:

Reason #1: To support the additional $85 million K-12 dollars in the Senate budget when compared with the House budget! $85 million!

The Senate budget gives a $358 million increase to K-12 over two years, while the House gives $273 million over two years, a difference of $85 million dollars for our K-12 students!

If negotiations between House and Senate split the difference, our K-12 students could lose over $40 million.

Make a statement on Tuesday to your legislators that our K-12 students need all of that $85 million or more!

Indiana is NOT still in the Great Recession and our K-12 students should not be treated as if we are. The 1.1% increase proposed by the House is what K-12 suffered through during the Great Recession!

The new revenue forecast issued April 12th said Indiana may receive an additional $200 million in revenue compared with the previous forecast. Funding our K-12 students should be a high priority for this money.

Special note: By Monday evening, you will find posted on the ICPE website messages customized for every Indiana public school district ready to be delivered and discussed with your legislators. Check out the website: www.icpe2011.com. These messages should help in your efforts to maximize funding for your local K-12 students.


Reason #2: To oppose raising private school tax credit scholarships by 31%!

In the current year of 2016-17, $9.5 million of your tax dollars has been given to pay for tax credits for donations to private school scholarships, called School Scholarships, under a law passed in 2009.

These School Scholarships, which should not be confused with vouchers called Choice Scholarships, are given out to any private school students whose family makes under $89,900, hardly a low income.

They are the secret sauce in getting many students who have always been in private schools on the taxpayer’s tab because a loophole was written into the voucher law saying that if a student has received a School Scholarship during one year, they are eligible for a voucher the next year. That’s how we have ended up with 54% of all vouchers being given to students who have always gone to private schools.

Now both House and Senate budgets call for a raise from $9.5 million to $12.5 million each year in the two-year budget, a 31% raise that gives $6 million more dollars that could be repurposed for public school support.

In addition, the budget enables automatic increases each year above the $12.5 level if the donations reach the total available. Automatic increases for private school scholarships? Public school programs never get automatic increases! This is just wrong!

Make a statement on Tuesday to your legislators that a 31% increase for private school tax credit scholarships and automatic increases are wrong!


Reason #3: To support transparency in the Senate budget showing a line item for private school vouchers for the first time!

The Senate budget for the first time shows a separate line item for private school vouchers. This allows all to see how much the voucher program is projected to cost each year. From the current 2016-17 figure of $146 million, the Senate budget projects $156 million for 2017-18 and $167 million for 2018-19. The open transparency of having a separate line item to debate is an important step forward, and it is strongly opposed by leaders of the House of Representatives.

Make a statement on Tuesday to your legislators that we must have the transparency of a line item for vouchers to enable an informed budget debate.

Everyone is encouraged to come to the Statehouse rally!

When: Tuesday, April 18, 2017, 3:30 pm

Where: Indiana Statehouse North Atrium

Theme: “K-12 Public School Funding: Indiana Can Do Better”

Co-sponsored by: Indiana Coalition for Public Education & Indiana PTA

Rally partners: (known by me to date; more may be coming)

Indiana AFT
Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association
Indiana Urban Schools Association

Stand up for public education! Let legislators know you care about K-12 funding in the two-year budget.

The members of the General Assembly need to hear from you the parents, the taxpayers and the educators of Indiana about supporting better K-12 funding.

Will you join us? Will you bring friends and family?

Download this printable flyer, or click the image below, to share with friends, family and colleagues.Please pass the word!

Thank you for actively supporting public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Vic’s Statehouse Notes #293 – April 11, 2017

Dear Friends,

Attention all who support public education:

You are invited to a rally in support of better funding for K-12 education. We need you!

When: Tuesday, April 18, 2017, 3:30 pm

Where: Indiana Statehouse North Atrium

Sponsored by: Indiana Coalition for Public Education & Indiana PTA

Everyone is encouraged to join us!

Stand up for public education! Let legislators know you care about K-12 funding in the two-year budget.

Raise the Priority in Support of K-12 Funding

We need your presence to raise the priority on better funding for our K-12 students in the new budget.

Here’s the picture: The Governor and the House both recommended unacceptably low increases for K-12 next year, $70 million (1%) by the Governor and $77 million (1.1%) in the House budget passed Feb. 27th. Funding for K-12 seemed to be an afterthought, with no urgency.

These low 1% increases were like the low K-12 budgets during the Great Recession. Indiana is not still in the Great Recession and our K-12 students should not be treated as if we are!

Then the Senate passed a better budget on April 6th: an increase of $117 million (1.7%) for next year and a two-year increase of $358 million. This two-year amount is $85 million more than the House budget!

This $85 million or more must be included in the final budget.

There is no guarantee that the final budget will include this $85 million. The House and Senate have to negotiate their differences. If they split the difference, our K-12 students will lose half of this $85 million for K-12 programs.

We need you on April 18th to help send a message: Our K-12 students need this $85 million or more!

The members of the General Assembly need to hear from you the parents, the taxpayers and the educators of Indiana about supporting better K-12 funding.

Participate in support of the rally theme:

“K-12 Public School Funding: Indiana Can Do Better”

Will you join us? Will you bring friends and family?

The rally will not be as long as the February 20th rally. After key speakers share inspiration and information, all present will be invited to bring messages to their legislators about how the proposed budgets will impact local schools. Sharing these messages is a vital step in getting a fair budget for our K-12 students. In the next few days, ICPE will have messages customized for every Indiana public school district available on the ICPE website to assist in this process. Stay tuned!

Make plans now to join us next Tuesday April 18th to support our K-12 students.

Click here for a printable flyer for you to share with friends, family and colleagues. Please pass the word!

Thank you for actively supporting public education in Indiana!


Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Nobody’s Gonna Break My Stride

by Phyllis Bush

There is a cancer in the body politic. Our lawmakers seem more intent on playing to the voters they choose rather than on serving all of their constituents. We have grown to expect that the Super Majorities will be more concerned with consolidating and maintaining power and control than with with governance. At this point, I see very little chance for a cure of this cancer.

There is also a cancer in the body of Phyllis Bush. On Friday I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Even though what lies before me feels like a kick in the teeth, I have chosen to be annoyed rather than bummed; in fact, this diagnosis has allowed me to give new meaning to the word pissment. I usually share my middle school mean girl thoughts and potty mouth only with my friends; however, when I was in recovery after my surgery and my doctor gave me the word, all I could think to say was the F word.

I know that my doctors will provide me with a course of treatment options, and together we will decide on a course of action that will provide a cure. Unlike politicians, they are in the business of doing no harm.

Having said that, I know that my family and friends will love me, support me, and make me laugh.

There are way too many injustices that I need to rectify.

There are way too many politicians who need my advice and counsel--and my nipping at their heels like a rat terrier.

There are two grandchildren that I need to see grow up.

Along with thoughts and prayers, here are some other things you can do:

1. Prepare yourself with facts and go talk with a legislator. Leave a one page fact sheet with his or her legislative aide, explaining the issue and how it will benefit him or her.

2. Write a letter to someone you love--to your mom or dad, your grandfather or your grandmother, your grandson or your granddaughter asking them how they are and telling them who you are.

3. Never lose your sense of humor or your sense of wonder.

4. Adopt a rescue dog or cat.

5. Take a kid to the zoo and/or to Zesto.

Years ago when I was in the midst of a difficult time, I used to pop a cassette in the car, turn up the volume, roll down the windows, and sing “Nobody’s gonna break my stride; nobody’s gonna slow me down” at the top of my lungs.

...and that is what I intend to do.

In the following days and weeks, as I learn my course of treatment, you are welcome to follow along (if you wish) as I begin this new adventure.

Phyllis Bush, a retired English teacher from Fort Wayne, IN, is a co-founder of NEIFPE. She posted this on her Facebook page.

📚📖✏️📙

Vic’s Statehouse Notes #292 – April 6, 2017

Dear Friends,

In Tuesday’s (Apr. 4th) historic vote that received less media attention than a controversy over cold beer, the Senate voted to reverse its February 20th decisive defeat of the bill to end 166 years of electing our State Superintendent and allow appointment by the Governor.

Five Senators switched from “no” on February 20th to “yes” on April 4th:

Senator Crider
Senator Doriot
Senator Ford
Senator Mishler
Senator Niemeyer

With these five additional yes votes, the Senate tally moved from a 23-26 defeat on Feb. 20th to a 28-20 victory on April 4th.

After 166 years, the rights of voters to guide our democracy at the ballot box have been diminished by the General Assembly and upstaged by cold beer. There was a major article in yesterday’s Indianapolis Star about the cold beer problem, but not one word about the vote on electing the State Superintendent.

It is a sad sign for the power of voters and for our democracy in Indiana.

Changing from a State Superintendent of Public Instruction elected by the voting public to a secretary of education appointed by the Governor is one more step in the deconstruction of public education in Indiana.

The bill has more hurdles before final passage, with at minimum one more vote in the House. If you as a voter are offended by this bill and want to continue to speak up to your legislators on this issue, read “Next Steps” below to see the path ahead.

Three Reasons to Oppose HB 1005

There were three strong reasons for the Senators to oppose House Bill 1005:

1) Respect for and faith in democracy

Democracy is based on the belief that voters should be given the power to guide our government through free elections. If people believe that the wrong person has been elected, the voters can correct the problem at the next election. Taking away the power of voters and giving that power to the executive branch for appointments are steps leading away from democracy. The power of voters is diminished.

In the floor debate on Tuesday, the importance and respect for voters was emphasized by Senator Melton (D), Senator Leising (R), and Senator Randolph (D) as they spoke against the bill.

2) Respect for the rules of the Senate

Minority Leader Senator Lanane raised an objection that considering the bill would break Rule 81E. The rule says that says when a bill is defeated “that exact language or substantially similar language shall be considered decisively defeated and shall not be considered again during the session.”

Lt. Governor Crouch overruled the objection. Senator Lanane appealed the ruling of the chair. At that point, the chair stepped down for the debate on the appeal and Senator Long assumed the role of chair.

Senator Lanane in speaking on his appeal stated his case that under Senate rules HB 1005 should not have even been considered by the Rules Committee or by the Senate because the bill with the exact language of House Bill 1005 had been defeated with “26 nay votes on that matter.” He said “HB 1005 was the exact language.” He said that rules “should be viewed strictly. Rules mean what they say. It shall not be considered this session.” He said following the rule “lends to our credibility, to our sense of fairness. We don’t do do-overs.”

Before other Democratic Senators whose hands were up were called on to support Senator Lanane’s appeal, Senator Long recognized Senator Hershman who moved the previous question. Senator Long said that a vote on Senator Hershman’s motion would be a vote to end debate on the appeal. Senator Lanane started to ask a question but was cut off by Senator Long who said he didn’t recognize Senator Lanane. The roll call vote was 39-9 to sustain the chair. Thus, the appeal on the meaning of Senate Rule 81E was quickly over.

In the floor debate on the bill itself, Senator Taylor (D) and Senator Randolph (D) emphasized the issue of not following Senate rules.

My conclusion is that the Senate’s actions have made a mockery of Senate Rule 81E. Long after the debate over House Bill 1005 is resolved, Senators will always remember that this episode has gutted any meaning in the Senate rule about “decisively defeated” bills. The overwhelming desire of Senate leaders to take the selection of the State Superintendent out of the hands of voters this year, ending a feature of our democracy that has lasted 166 years, has left a legacy of damage to the respect for Senate rules that will linger for generations.

3) Allowing appointment of a K-12 State Superintendent with no K-12 experience

The word “preferably” in the qualifications section of HB 1005 means that the State Superintendent is not required to have experience in the “administration of public education” and is not required to have a degree in “education or educational administration.” It is optional. Senator Breaux made a strong attempt to make sure it was not optional, but her second reading amendments were voted down.

Read the qualifications for yourself:

“(2) has demonstrated personal and professional leadership success, preferably in the administration of public education;”

“(3) possesses an earned advanced degree, preferably in education or educational administration, awarded from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university; and”

Then in qualification (4), the words “Executive in the field of education” were clarified by bill sponsor Senator Buck on the floor of the Senate to mean that higher education leaders or other executives such as Mitch Daniels could serve as the K-12 State Superintendent.

It is offensive to those who have dedicated their lives and their careers to K-12 education to hear that they can be supervised at the state level by someone who has no K-12 experience. This shows no respect for the complex history and issues of K-12 education and the detailed knowledge required by anyone who would successfully lead Indiana K-12 education.

Thus, we are left with a serious flaw in the bill to appoint the State Superintendent. Not only does it take power away from citizens who vote, but it also leaves open the door to appoint a person with no K-12 experience and no degrees in education.

Next Steps

The Senate version of HB 1005 differs from the House version, so the sponsor of the House bill, Speaker Bosma, now will decide whether to accept the Senate version or whether to take the bill to a Conference Committee to change the bill to be more like the House version.

If he decides to accept the Senate version, then the House will vote on whether to concur with the Senate version. Voters who don’t want to give up the power to elect the State Superintendent can try to get their representative in the House to vote against the concurrence.

If he decides to take the bill to a Conference Committee to change any of the provisions of the bill, then the changes in the final Conference Committee report have to go back to both the House and the Senate for a final vote of approval. Unhappy voters can then share your feelings and opposition with members of both chambers before the final votes on the Conference Committee report. Stay tuned!

Let your legislators know that you have read the fine print and House Bill 1005 would allow a State Superintendent with no K-12 experience. This is startling and unacceptable.

This is flawed legislation.

Thank you for actively supporting public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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Vic’s Statehouse Notes #291 – March 31, 2017

Dear Friends,

Now we know! House Bill 1005 would allow appointing a K-12 State Superintendent with no K-12 experience!

Now we know! Bill sponsor Senator Buck has made House Bill 1005 the “Mitch Daniels Could Be State Superintendent” bill. (See quotes below)

Now we know! The Senate bill does not require that the Governor appoint a K-12 educator to be State Superintendent. Nothing in the new amendment defining qualifications says “K-12”.

Now we know why the Senate leadership was willing to damage the entire Senate’s reputation as a body that stays true to its own rules.

Now we know why the Senate leadership has put its credibility with voters on the line to authorize a second vote on a bill that was decisively defeated, what some have called a violation of Rule 81E, to end 166 years of power for the voters to elect the State Superintendent, the latest downgrade of our democracy in Indiana.

Now we know. The reason for ignoring Senate Rule 81E and pushing the bill through the Senate was to write a formula into law whereby Mitch Daniels or someone like him could be appointed State Superintendent.

In the words of Senator Breaux, it is still a “bad idea”. It allows a person with no K-12 experience to be appointed to lead K-12 education in Indiana.

Yipes! That’s not right.

This bill is flawed! The Senate should vote HB 1005 down – again!

Contact your Senator or all Senators before the final vote this Monday, April 3rd, in the session beginning at 1:30pm. Let them know the new amendment is unacceptable. The State Superintendent must always have K-12 experience. Let them know you oppose taking the power to choose the State Superintendent away from voters and handing that power to the Governor.

Here is What Happened During Second Reading Amendments on House Bill 1005

Updating the path of House Bill 1005:

• After 166 years, Speaker Bosma and the Governor really want to end the power of the voters to elect the State Superintendent.

• The Senate voted down the bill to do so 23-26 on February 20th.

• Senate Rule 81E (as quoted in the IndyStar) says when a bill is defeated “that exact language or substantially similar language shall be considered decisively defeated and shall not be considered again during the session.”

• The Senate Rules Committee passed the bill 8-4 on March 27th, saying the amendment made it substantially different language.

• Debate over amendments on March 30th turned out to show that the new amendment was not substantially different. The Senate version voted down on Feb. 20th allowed the Governor to appoint a person with no experience in K-12. Now the new amendment turns out to allow appointment of a person with no experience in K-12. There is no difference. Here is how this played out on Second Reading:

Senator Breaux’s Amendments

On Thursday (March 30) on the floor of the Senate, Senator Breaux proposed an amendment to strike the line “Executive in the field of education” in the list of four work experiences making a person eligible to be appointed by the Governor, calling it a vague description of eligibility that no one can define. She said the other three listed (“Teacher, Superintendent, Principal”) are sufficient in terms of background for eligibility.

Listen to bill sponsor Senator Buck’s response to the amendment: “I rise in opposition to the amendment. While we are trying to consider the availability to the Governor of somebody that would be the administrator of our department of ed, I hope we realize that someone with the depth of experience of executive leadership and in higher ed such as former Governor Mitch Daniels would be excluded from that category. I think it gives the Governor a great deal of latitude in looking to somebody that has executive experience in the field of education.”

Sen. Breaux responded:

“OK that brings a little bit more clarification to me. We’re making it possible for folks like Gov. Daniels to return as secretary of education. I still think that’s a bad idea and ask for your support of my amendment.“

The amendment failed on a voice vote.

Earlier, Senator Breaux had proposed an amendment to delete the word “preferably” from the two following descriptors of who the Governor can appoint:

“(2) has demonstrated personal and professional leadership success, preferably in the administration of public education;”

“(3) possesses an earned advanced degree , preferably in education or educational administration, awarded from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university; and”

The word “preferably” means that the State Superintendent is not required to have experience in the “administration of public education” and is not required to have a degree in “education or educational administration.” It is optional. Senator Breaux made a strong attempt to make sure it was not optional, but her amendment was voted down 9-40.

The Fatal Flaw of the New Senate Amendment: It Doesn’t Require K-12 Experience or Degrees

We are left with a fatal flaw in the bill to appoint the State Superintendent. Not only does it take power away from citizens who vote, but it also leaves open the door to appoint a person with no K-12 experience and no degrees in education.

Tell your Senator you have read the fine print and House Bill 1005 would allow a State Superintendent with no K-12 experience. This must not stand!

This is flawed legislation and deserves to be defeated a second time when the Senate votes on Monday.

Contact Senators This Weekend Before Monday’s Vote

If all 26 Senators who opposed the bill the first time maintain their no vote, the power of voters will not be diminished. They need to hear from voters loudly and clearly.

Once again, the 26 Senators who voted no on February 20th are as follows:

Senator Becker	Senator Glick	Senator Leising	Senator Stoops
Senator Bohacek	Senator Grooms	Senator Melton	Senator Tallian
Senator Breaux	Senator Head	Senator Mishler	Senator Taylor
Senator Crane	Senator Kenley	Senator Mrvan	Senator Tomes
Senator Crider	Senator Koch	Senator Niemeyer	Senator Young
Senator Doriot	Senator Kruse	Senator Niezgodski
Senator Ford	Senator Lanane	Senator Randolph

The 23 Senators who voted yes on February 20th but now should be asked to take a principled stand on Senate Rule 81E to call this bill “decisively defeated” and to stop a bill that clearly allows for appointment of a State Superintendent with no K-12 experience and no degrees in education, are as follows:

Senator Alting	Senator Charbonneau	Senator Houchin	Senator Ruckelshaus
Senator Bassler	Senator Delph	Senator Long	Senator Sandlin
Senator Boots	Senator Eckerty	Senator Merritt	Senator Smith
Senator Bray	Senator Freeman	Senator Messmer	Senator Walker
Senator Brown	Senator Hershman	Senator Perfect	Senator Zay
Senator Buck	Senator Holdman	Senator Raatz

One Senator who was excused and did not vote on the bill was Senator Zakas, who should also be contacted on these points.

• Tell them how you feel about losing the power to elect the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

• Tell them how you feel about the wording of the new amendment which would allow a State Superintendent with no K-12 experience.

• Tell them how you feel about Senate Rule 81E and the Senators’ decision to pass a previously “decisively defeated” bill when the new bill is equally as wide open as the first bill on qualifications. Tell them Senators should follow their own rules.

Will Indiana voters defend their powers? It’s up in the air.

The Senators need to hear from voters like you!

Thank you for actively supporting public education in Indiana!

Best wishes,

Vic Smith

“Vic’s Statehouse Notes” and ICPE received one of three Excellence in Media Awards presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of over 85,000 women educators in seventeen countries. The award was presented on July 30, 2014 during the Delta Kappa Gamma International Convention held in Indianapolis. Thank you Delta Kappa Gamma!

ICPE has worked since 2011 to promote public education in the Statehouse and oppose the privatization of schools. We need your membership to help support ICPE lobbying efforts. As of July 1st, the start of our new membership year, it is time for all ICPE members to renew their membership.

Our lobbyist Joel Hand is again representing ICPE in the new budget session which began on January 3, 2017. We need your memberships and your support to continue his work. We welcome additional members and additional donations. We need your help and the help of your colleagues who support public education! Please pass the word!

Go to www.icpe2011.com for membership and renewal information and for full information on ICPE efforts on behalf of public education. Thanks!

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. In 2013 I was honored to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU School of Education, and in 2014 I was honored to be named to the Teacher Education Hall of Fame by the Association for Teacher Education – Indiana.

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