State education policies rank 3rd

StudentsFirst, a nonprofit organization which works to propel education reform issues, released a study focusing on education laws and policy in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Valentina Korkes, a legislative analyst with StudentsFirst, said the report was based on policies in the states and not the achievement of schools, students and teachers.

Indiana ranked third in the country, with a grade of C+ and overall GPA of 2.46, compared to the 1.22 national average.

She said a rubric was created in which the organization gave a score of 0-4 to policies in the states and then calculated the GPA.

Only two states, Louisiana and Florida, achieved a B-, the highest grade given to any state. 39 states received D’s or F’s.  

According to the report, StudentsFirst compared the states’ policies with their own policy objectives.  These policies were then grouped into three categories: Elevate the Teaching Profession, Empower Parents with Data and Choice and Spend Wisely and Govern Well.

Indiana received a GPA of 2.82 in “Elevate Teaching,” a 2.35 in “Empower Parents” and a 1.78 in “Spend Wisely,” Within these categories, Indiana ranked sixth and first for “Elevate Teaching” and “Empower Parents,” respectively. As for “Spend Wisely,” the state ranked outside of the top 10.

She said parents should be able to know how their child’s school is performing from one year to the next and should be able to choose where their children attend school.

According to the website, members of StudentsFirst “believe state policies must empower parents to make the best choices for their children, and they must enable school administrators to recognize, reward and retain the best teachers and principals.

Using common-sense education policies, states must create opportunities for innovation, improvement and reform.”

Korkes said Indiana should implement an alternate certification program in which someone who is an expert in a subject can teach it without a bachelor’s of
education degree.

“States have a lot to work to do,” she said, but changes are beginning to be
implemented.

Glenda Ritz, superintendent of public instruction for Indiana schools, said Indiana needs the opportunity to do its own evaluation of policy.

She said she hopes to implement more classroom instruction and less assessment as well as more intense training for teachers.

“I think we need to have a chance in Indiana to actually talk about our policies,” she said.