By Larry Grau, DFER Indiana State Director
It has been an interesting and exciting year for education reform in Indiana. The holiday season lends itself to reflecting on our experiences and memorable events in the past year and resolving to make improvements for the New Year. As we engage in that exercise of reflection and resolution in Indiana, it is clear education has been front and center in 2011. This year kicked off with the formal start of Democrats for Education Reform in Indiana (DFER-IN), followed by a legislative session in which some of the most expansive education reform policies in the country were introduced and eventually enacted, such as greater school choice and charter school options; and, big changes in teacher evaluation, compensation, and retention, including putting an end to last-in, first-out (LIFO) practices. Now, as the final days on the calendar peel away, education reform continues to be in the spotlight.
And, what better time of year to give thanks for what we received by penning a holiday wish list for what we hope to gain in 2012? So, please allow me to present our list, which is a combination of “gifts” we received in 2011 and what we hope to gain in 2012.
The Gift of a Plan
The holiday season begins with a gift from Santa – okay actually from The Mind Trust. It comes in the form of a nearly 200-page plan for dramatically changing how Indiana’s largest and arguably most maligned school district functions. This report will set the tone for discussing the direction the city and state must take in improving a school system long overdue for corrective actions. DFER-IN looks forward to actively participating in that discussion and in helping to ensure all our kids have the quality educational opportunities they deserve.
Resolution
Let’s resolve to no longer acquiesce to individuals and groups who have opposed change in IPS, the state, and nationally to derail or hijack discussions on how to approach school improvement. More specifically, all ed reformers need to vow to avoid getting caught in the weeds defending our actions, but instead lead the way in transforming the Indianapolis and Indiana education systems. This isn’t about an academic argument over whether we need to end poverty before we can truly provide every student with an excellent education, or some kind of conspiratorial corporate takeover of our schools. This is about elevating the quality of educational opportunities for all and taking steps toward reform, such as enacting policies to grant educators and schools greater autonomy while holding everyone inside and outside the system accountable.
The Gift of Committed Courageous Leaders
On the policy and political front, DFER-IN has had the privilege of working with a growing number of education reform champions in the state. In our initial foray into putting resources behind a campaign we backed four Democratic candidates for At-Large City-County Council seats in Indianapolis. Those candidates: John Barth, Zach Adamson, Pam Hickman, and Leroy Robinson, all emerged victorious in November. They registered some of the highest vote totals in the election and returned the majority to Democrats. In addition, we have had the opportunity to work closely with John Gregg as he advances education reform policies, such as major improvements in teacher preparation that draw heavily on DFER’s “Ticket to Teach” proposal (see here) as a priority in his bid to become Indiana’s next governor. We also worked with Joe Donnelly, who is running for the U.S. Senate and supported federal legislation to strengthen charter schools.