For years, state and community leaders have been calling for these types of reforms in IPS, and now that they’re in motion, such changes have put the district on a path toward dramatic improvement.
Read MoreBecause of their commitment to quality, both Mayor Peterson and Mayor Ballard were recognized nationally for their stewardship of Indianapolis’ charter schools.
Read MoreFor decades, the nation’s governors have been the driving force for changing—and improving—education policy.
For too long, power over urban schools has rested too much with district central offices and not enough with parents.
In Indiana and other states, we face a sobering reality: Far too few students are prepared for college-level coursework.
Gov. Daniels will have a momentous opportunity to make Purdue’s College of Education a national model for teacher preparation.
When compensating teachers based on test scores and other performance measures, how should teachers in fine arts be reviewed?
Community leaders can fundamentally shape institutions that have the potential to change kids’ lives.
Standardized tests are a vital instrument for determining whether schools are carrying out their central mission.
The autonomy charter schools receive comes with the condition that they meet high standards or face closure.
Teaching should be our nation’s highest calling. Indiana’s recent education reforms take us a big step in that direction.
In certain instances technology is actually changing the very nature of teaching and learning and helping students achieve at drastically higher rates.
With the state continuing to apply pressure on districts to improve student achievement, it’s time for bold new ideas.
A “parent trigger” would be one of the biggest game changers in public education history.
Simply put, the type of program, number of credit hours, or path to certification aren’t as important as teachers’ impact on their students.
Urban school systems across the country are in crisis, but some individual urban schools are thriving.
The notion that kids from challenging backgrounds are destined to fail could not be more wrong.
Unfortunately, too many students who make it through high school aren’t well prepared for what comes next.
To continue our educational transformation, legislators should consider four important issues in future sessions.
Of all the school factors that affect how much students learn, nothing is more important than the quality of the teachers in their classrooms.
What is especially troubling about this tactic is that it denies us a chance to debate these critical issues. The policies being proposed in Indiana to evaluate and reward teachers would benefit from a robust debate.
It’s not when to start and when to end that matters, it’s the amount of time kids spend actually learning that will keep us competing in the global economy.
