State schools chief, local education leaders discuss education reform in forum

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett’s school reform package made up the bulk of the discussion Tuesday at an education forum sponsored by the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce.

Monroe County Community School Corporation Superintendent Judith DeMuth, Richland Bean Blossom Superintendent Steve Kain and Terry Spradlin of the IU Center for Evaluation and Education Policy also participated in the forum.

Bennett touted his wide-reaching school reform package, passed in the last legislative session, as one of the strongest in the nation.

He likened the package to a railroad track. One of the iron tracks represents competition among schools, the other represents school freedom and the wooden bars between the two tracks represent school accountability.

Bennett said his school voucher program, which allows students to use tax dollars to go to private or religious schools instead of public schools, increases competition among schools and makes public schools stronger.

“This is our nation’s most extensive voucher program, and choice and competition make our system better,” Bennett said.

Bennett also spoke of what he considers the educational success in Florida, which previously passed similar school reforms, as an example of why his reforms will improve student performance.

DeMuth and Kain at times seemed to disagree with Bennett’s assessment of the
situation. “True reform of public schools cannot come from the White House, cannot come from the statehouse. It has to come from the schoolhouse,” Kain said.

DeMuth, when asked what she thought of the voucher program, referred to Bennett’s Florida example. “In Florida, there are haves and there are have-nots,” she said to loud applause from the audience. “I do not want to see that in Indiana.”

Kain agreed, saying that he “did not want to see public school money going to private schools, even if none of our students are using the voucher program.”

Bennett responded to this criticism by saying that “this is not public school money, this is money for our children’s future.”

When asked by a member of the audience what Bennett thought about using tax dollars to send children to schools that do not teach evolution and use an ideological standpoint to teach history, Bennett said, “Honestly, I’m agnostic about the type of schools our children attend.”

Spradlin said he thought Indiana “deserves a C at best” for world language instruction, especially in elementary schools.

“Waiting until high school to start world languages does not work,” Spradlin said to more applause from the audience.

DeMuth and Kain also discussed the lack of funding from the state for public education and the lack of support for early childhood education programs.

The state provides a grant for districts to start full-day kindergarten programs (Indiana is one of 10 states that does not have full-day kindergarten), but the funding covers only about $2,500 per pupil for the academic year.

Spradlin said early childhood education is a huge investment for any state.

“For every $1 spent in early childhood education, the state gets back $17,” he said.

But Spradlin said the meager funding for such programs is clearly an obstacle.

Bennett said he would support increased funding for early childhood education but  only when the funding is available.

“I support the idea of full-day kindergarten and early childhood education, but it’s not a panacea,” Bennett said. “It’s not going to make everything better.”