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Questionable Questionnaire Question

News Release

Indiana State Teachers Association
150 West Market Street, Suite 900
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2875

Office: 317-263-3400, 800-382-4037
FAX: 317-655-3400, 800-777-6128

The following release was sent to the statewide media earlier today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Some Legislators Open Session with Questionable Survey Question

Monday, January 7, 2013

Contact: Mark Shoup, 317.263.3369 / Kathleen Berry, 317-263.3321

Some Legislators Open Session with
Questionable Questionnaire Question

INDIANAPOLIS - Just as the 2013 session of the General Assembly is set to open today with hopes of bi-partisan cooperation and meaningful debate on important issues facing the state, Hoosier voters in several legislative districts received a taxpayer-funded survey from some Republican caucus members of the House of Representatives that raised eyebrows and simultaneously lowered expectations that policy over partisanship might just prevail in 2013.

The reason for the new-found skepticism?
One of the questions reads (as if some major issue facing the state):

..."Currently, the teachers' union can automatically deduct fees and dues from teachers' paychecks. In many cases, these dues are used to support candidates or political organizations that a teacher may disagree with. Would you support a law that requires the union to receive authorization from a teacher before it can deduct fees and dues from their paycheck."

It's important for Hoosiers to know the facts: Indiana law already requires all of this.
One could argue that legislators who included this question in their survey should have known this, too.

Indiana law already requires prior written authorization from any educator who voluntarily chooses to automatically deduct from his/her paycheck association dues. (see IC 20-29-5-6) In addition, those deductions must be consistent with other laws that govern all other entities and employers/employees relative to wages. (see IC 22-2-6; IC 22-2-7; IC 20-28-9-18) This practice is not out of the ordinary, but is both a routine and rather perfunctory option granted to employees all across the state: Think health insurance premiums, think retirement contributions, think United Way and a myriad of other not-for-profit/charitable contributions, think professional association dues and fees, think garnishments, on and on.

Teacher union dues are not given nor diverted to political candidates or political campaigns (period). VOLUNTARY political action contributions are distributed through a separate political action committee (in the case of ISTA, the political action committee is called I-PACE) and are governed by a different set of laws.

With all of the major issues facing our state and nation - creating jobs, improving the economy, funding our schools, protecting Hoosier children in the state welfare system, etc... legislators should be sensitive to creating false "policy issues" that take up valuable space in a constituent survey ostensibly designed to foster meaningful exchange. At the very least, legislators who disseminated this question should alert their constituents to the fact that the question's entire set of premises is faulty and that the concerns they raised about teachers, teachers unions, and salary deductions are, in fact, non-issues as they have already been covered under existing Indiana law.

"We still hope that this session will be one focused on cooperation and bipartisanship," said Nate Schnellenberger, ISTA President. "We fully intend to reach out to all legislators as the session unfolds on behalf of Indiana's public school students and the school employees-teachers and educational support professionals-who have dedicated their professional lives to them."

State Board Passes Controversial REPA 2

...from ISTA

The State Board of Education amended and passed controversial changes to teacher licensing rules over the objections of incoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz and a number of teachers who urged the group to slow down. Ritz -- just weeks from taking office after defeating incumbent Tony Bennett -- asked the board to table the proposal, saying it could "put unqualified teachers in the classroom."

State Board of Ed passes new licensing standards for teachers, administrators

Indiana State Board of Education passes controversial changes to teacher licensing rules

REPA 2 - ISTA Statement to State Board

December 5, 2012

ISTA provided this statement to the Indiana State Board of Education at its meeting this morning:

The Indiana State Teachers Association urges the Indiana State Board of Education to table further action on REPA 2.

REPA 2 is a sweeping set of rule changes that will affect everything from approving teacher training institutions to teacher licensure and re-licensure - the overall effect of which will de-professionalize the teaching profession. The changes in licensure alone could mean that a person need only pass a content test to become a licensed teacher in the state in certain areas without ever having taken a single teaching methods, child psychology or classroom management course first.

The case has not been made that any of this is warranted or that the area of teacher licensure/re-licensure is in a state of crisis (or even near-crisis) in Indiana. This is an area in which a comprehensive overhaul was made recently (REPA 1) in 2010-and REPA 1 has not even had the chance to be fully implemented. There currently exist multiple paths to teaching, both traditional and alternative, in Indiana law and rule. What REPA 2 does is both extreme and unnecessary, the results of which could be dangerous to classrooms of children.

Among the issues over which ISTA members are concerned relate to the new "adjunct teachers permit" which would allow any person with a bachelor degree (3.0 gpa) to become a classroom teacher. Absolutely no classroom experience, no coursework in classroom management or in student discipline would be required going in.

And tying the evaluation results to an adjunct faculty member's licensure is in contravention to the compromise earlier made to concerned legislators.

Finally, shifting authority away from the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction and to the State Board of Education itself to approve teacher training programs smacks of politics over policy.

As drafted, there is no substance offered in REPA 2 on which anyone can count to know what will constitute a legitimate teacher preparation program. No longer will we know that public school teachers are trained at bona fide universities. Instead REPA 2 would allow "organizations" approved by political appointees to become teacher preparation centers. This is what is meant when accusations are made to the State Board that REPA 2 de-professionalizes the profession of teaching.

The State Board of Education should table any further consideration of REPA 2.

FWCS School Grades Information

FWCS
Press Release
October 31, 2012


MAJORITY OF FWCS SCHOOLS RECEIVE HIGH RATINGS FROM THE STATE

Nearly 80 percent of the Fort Wayne Community Schools buildings received an A, B or C this year under Indiana’s accountability system.

Thirty-nine schools earned an A, B or C under the state’s revised grading system – the first year the system has been in place using new measurements.

Fourteen schools – Whitney Young Early Childhood Center and Arlington, Brentwood, Croninger, Glenwood Park, Harris, Irwin, Lincoln, Lindley, Nebraska, Saint Joseph Central, Washington, Washington Center and Weisser Park elementary schools – received an A. Adams, Franke Park, Haley, Indian Village and Price elementary schools and Northwood Middle School earned a B, and 19 more schools received a C, as did the District as a whole.

“Our focus has been and will continue to be continuous improvement,” Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson said. “Earlier this year when ISTEP+ results were released we saw that for the third consecutive year, we had more students passing the exams, and our growth was higher than the state’s at every level. While we are proud of our schools that received high letter grades from the state, our focus will continue to be on quality instruction every single day in every single classroom”

Prior to this year, state rankings were based on a combination of achievement and growth, with participations and performance under No Child Left Behind’s system also factored. This year, the complex system was based first on achievement with a requirement that a school must see at least a 70 percent passing rate on ISTEP+ to receive any points. A calculation based on individual student performance was used for growth and graduation rates and college and career readiness metrics were added for high schools. In addition, in previous years there was no limit on the number of special education students who could successfully pass an alternative exam, ISTAR or IMAST. This year, the state mandated a 3 percent cap on ISTAR and IMAST proficiency, resulting in hundreds of passed exams throughout the state being thrown out.

“Letter grades from the state will not solely define our schools,” School Board President Mark GiaQuinta said. “Our families know there is no better place for the children of this city to receive an education than Fort Wayne Community Schools. Each day we are educating students to high standards to ensure they become productive, responsible citizens. That is what defines our schools and sets them above all others.”

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Save Our Public Schools

Make your voice count. Become an ISTA activist.

You belong to ISTA because you are committed to the success of every child. We need your help to put students at the center of Indiana school's agenda. We need ISTA activists to advocate clearly for students and public schools.

ISTA Activist Activity

SUPPORT JOHN GREGG for governor &

GLENDA RITZ for state school superintendent

Hoosier educators face the most important election in recent history this November. Indiana voters will go to the polls to choose a new governor and possibly a new Superintendent of Public Instruction. For the future of our public schools, John Gregg needs to be elected governor and Glenda Ritz, a teacher and ISTA member and local president, must become the new Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Educators know that if these two pro-education candidates are going to be successful, they must have the full and enthusiastic support of all friends and supporters of public education.

As an ISTA Activist, how can you help? You can volunteer to:

• Donate money for John and Glenda's campaigns
• Collects donations from friends and family for their campaigns
• Distribute candidate literature door-to-door (walk targeted neighborhoods)
• Phone bank for candidates
• Put a yard sign in your yard and in the yards of supportive friends & neighbors
• Put bumper stickers on your cars
• Host candidate meet-and-greets in your home
• Distribute candidate literature at polling places on election day
• Walk in community parades to support John & Glenda

The future is in our hands. Volunteer to become an ISTA Activist TODAY.

Click here to "TAKE ACTION".

Please e-mail the “Keep the Promise” website link to your colleagues, friends, and relatives.

https://keepthepromiseindiana.org

We Need Your Help to Fight Back

From ISTA's Executive Director, Brenda Pike:

September 26, 2012 Corporate special interest groups and Wall Street millionaires are funding Tony Bennett's campaign.[1]  These ultra-wealthy hedge fund managers and powerful corporate insiders are pouring money into Indiana to fund Bennett's public school takeover and privatization agenda. We need to ask ourselves "why"? Why would Alice Walton, the Arkansas Wal-Mart heiress, give $200,000 to Tony Bennett? Why would a series of hedge fund managers from Chicago and New York City donate upwards of $100,000? What about the "Hoosiers" for Economic Growth's $25,000 contribution to Bennett?  Look deeper.  Much of that group's money comes from Michigander Betsy (of the Amway fortune) DeVos' school voucher group. Follow the money.  It's coming from long-time voucher supporters and public school takeover advocates.  It's coming from anti-union interests and unbridled charter school expansionists.  And way too much is coming from out-of-state. We need your help to fight back quickly.   Let's get Glenda Ritz on the air! To take Glenda's message directly to Indiana's voters, an additional $200,000 must be raised by Friday, October 5th.   It won't be difficult for Hoosiers to see what's going on here, but it takes funds to ensure that they know.  Time is of the essence! Please donate $100, $50, $25 or whatever amount you can manage right now to help purchase TV air time for Glenda Ritz. Use this link to rush your donation so we can fight the powerful out-of-state interests that have gone overboard to influence this office. Your help is needed now more than ever. Thank you. Sincerely, Sincerely,  Dr. Brenda Pike, ISTA Executive Director [1] The "top 10" out-state-contributors to Tony Bennett, all of which have connections to promoting vouchers, takeovers, public school restructure, and/or anti-union political agendas -Alice L. Walton, Bentonville, Arkansas, $200,000, 7/19/12; Michael Bloomberg, NYC, $40,000, 6/29/12; Elizabeth White, Chicago, $25,000, 8/31/12; Anne Griffin, Chicago, $25,000, 7/12/12; Daniel Loeb, NYC, $25,000, 2/14/12; Eli Broad, Los Angeles, $25,000, 9/12/12; Roger Hertog, NYC, $25,000, 5/21/12; Paul Singer, NYC, $10,000, 4/10/12; Bruce White, Chicago, $10,000, 8/17/12; William Oberndorf, Mills Valley, CA  $10,000, 5/21/12.   For the complete list of Bennett's "large contribution" funders, go to http://campaignfinance.in.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?OrgId=5608