Daniels’ education reform legislation shocks School of Education community

The latest educational reforms bills to come from the Statehouse have caused some students and professors to question whether or not public education in Indiana stands a chance of survival.

Gov. Mitch Daniels and Indiana legislators have approved a set of educational reform bills that will put Indiana on the forefront of public education reform in the United States.

Most of the provisions of these bills will not take effect until July 1.

House Enrolled Act 1003
This law allows taxpayer funding for private and parochial schools in the form of a voucher.

Students from families making less than $60,000 a year are effectively allotted an unlimited amount of money to send their child to the high school of their choice, depending on the family’s income and size.

First through eigth grade vouchers are limited to $4,500.

House Enrolled Act 1002
HEA 1002 sets new academic standards and regulations for charter schools. It allows private, four year universities the opportunity to sponsor charter schools.

Senate Enrolled Act 1
SEA 1 alters the way in which teachers’ performance is evaluated. Student performance and growth will now be taken into account for determining teacher pay increases.

Senate Enrolled Act 575
SEA 575 constrains the collective bargaining rights of teachers.

Teachers’ unions will only have the power to negotiate over wage and benefits issues but no longer concerning working conditions.

Educator Reaction
It also allows teachers to negotiate certain policy decisions, like class sizes or curriculum, but they are not a part of the collective bargaining process.    

Senior Benjamin Lawson, who is majoring in education, described the recent legislation as taking the wrong direction to education reform.

“The legislation is written by people who have never been in a classroom,” Lawson said. “While they may have the best interest of students in their hearts, this is only
going to cause more harm.”

Lawson said he feared the legislation would disrupt educational innovation in the affected schools due to the legislation’s emphasis on improving test scores rather than innovation in the classroom.  

Keith Barton, IU School of Education professor,  said the new universal voucher system has educators fearing for the worst.

Instead of promoting a diverse and pluralistic community, Barton said schools will increasingly be homogenized, both culturally and politically.

“If choice in schools decreases young people’s experience with diversity, then unfortunately it will lead to more isolation in public life — and that could be a disaster for a pluralist democracy like ours,” he said.