Experts convene to discuss education

Public education in Indiana was in the hot seat Thursday and Friday as dozens of experts dissected education policy and the possible future of a system that is undergoing many changes.

The annual McCarthy Education Law and Policy Institute convened on the IU campus to discuss the state of education across Indiana.

According to the press release, a version of the education seminar began in 1967 through the School of Education.

Since then, the program has expanded to include the IU School Administrators Association and has been renamed in honor of Chancellor’s Professor Emerita Martha McCarthy for her expertise in education law.

The program addressed variety of issues, including special education policy and teacher evaluations. Participants were able to exchange ideas and provide insight into the future ramifications of some legislation, Sandi Cole, director of the Center of Education and Lifelong Learning, said.

“All of the panel discussions were ‘hot’ topics in Indiana right now,” Cole said in an email.  “The panelist provided updated legal insights as well as sharing how those legal decisions are or have affected the field of education.”

Hardy Murphy, research scholar at IU and IUPUI, participated in the panel regarding legal action involving teacher evaluations. As more education policy is created, teachers will need to be better educated about law surrounding the classroom, Murphy said.

“Teachers are in the profession because of their passion for students and the teaching process,” Murphy said in an email. “Unfortunately, as our society becomes more complex, they will need to have more training in the area of education law for their benefit and for their students.”

Funding for public education was also discussed at the institute. Cole said a lack of funds is directly correlated with many issues affecting the educational system.

“I believe that all teachers face challenges today because Indiana does not adequately fund public education,” Cole said. “This results in a decrease in professional development opportunities and adequate time for professional learning communities.”

In addition to a lack of funding, public education is also experiencing a surge of Latino students in the classroom. According to Excelencia in Education, a national non-profit group, the number of Latino students in Indiana public schools increased 47 percent from 2005 to 2010.

Murphy said how diversity is addressed is one of the major issues public schools will need to address in order to excel in the future.