By Larry Grau
(From Indianapolis Star, December 30th, 2011)
The Indiana Democrats for Education Reform applauds The Mind Trust plan to transform Indianapolis Public Schools. It provides a road map for us to follow in taking a huge step forward in achieving the goal of insuring every child’s right to a quality education. We hope the document will prompt the type of serious, meaningful and productive community discussion that needs to occur about the direction we take in our education systems in Indianapolis and the state.
We do not need rhetoric, exaggerated claims, or scare tactics claiming this plan will end all schools in IPS as we know them, result in the privatization of public schools, or any of the other conspiracy theories that get thrown around whenever changes in our education system are proposed. If The Mind Trust plan were enacted in its entirety, most students would remain in the schools they are in now, unless they chose to seek a different educational option; and nearly all teachers and other school staff would report to work at the same places they do today.
It is worth emphasizing under the plan we would need our most effective teachers and education leaders to step-up more than ever. The difference would be — those dedicated educators would finally be paid what they deserve, and at salary levels suggesting we value what they do for our children. They also would be treated as professionals and given the autonomy to truly lead their schools.
Eliminating the elected board has been criticized as undemocratic and an infringement on local control. We beg to differ. IPS School Board members are elected by less than 10 percent of the eligible voters, and most folks can’t name their elected board representative. Because of low voter turnout, money provided by special interest groups can be more of a factor in who gets elected than where a person stands on policy issues. We contend The Mind Trust plan provides more local control by giving autonomy to individual schools and control of the district to the mayor and City-County Council, who will appoint the School Board. We recommend those appointments be residents of the IPS districts they will represent, which will allow citizens to actually know who to hold accountable.