Education Week: Indiana debate over teacher pay boost remains unsettled

The Indiana legislative leaders and Indiana Governor Holcomb agree that raising teacher pay is a priority, but no one has an agreeable plan to achieve that goal yet. Holcomb has proposed a 3 percent raise in school funding over the next two years, hoping local districts funnel most of the money to raising teacher salaries. Meanwhile, Holcomb wants to create a study group to make recommendations on how to raise teachers salaries to compete with surrounding states. Holcomb is seeking a $210 million raise in school funding for next year, ‘but a new report from education advocacy groups says $658 million is needed to boost average teacher pay to the midpoint of Indiana's neighboring states.”

“A Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis study released last year found that Indiana's average teacher salary of $50,881 ranked 31st among the states when adjusted for cost of living differences — behind Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio.”

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2019/02/03/indiana-debate-over-teacher-pay-boost_ap.html

February Meeting of the Frances Slocum Chapter of Retired Educators

State superintendent on her exit from politics: ‘It’s follow the money on steroids’

Indiana State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick will not be running for re-election as legislators are poised to give the sitting governor the right to appoint a superintendent who will cater to the governor's desires for education policy. McCormick will leave the top educator position feeling frustrated that the job she took to make a difference for kids, was more about money and politics than what was best for students.

WTTV CBS4 POSTED 11:00 PM, FEBRUARY 6, 2019, BY MATT SMITH

Lawmakers weigh bill to split school referendum funds with local charter schools

"House Education Committee chair Bob Behning (R-Indianapolis) is proposing a bill that would require any districts that pass funding referenda to share those dollars with local charter schools.

Behning says he wants to make charter school funding more equitable, and that charters receive about $3,000 less from the state per student than traditional public schools.

But executive director of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents J.T. Coopman says the bill is just another way to strap districts for cash even further, as the state tries to figure out how to boost teacher pay."

https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/lawmakers-weigh-bill-to-split-school-referendum-funds-with-local-charter-schools.php

More on Indiana's teacher shortage

From a shared Facebook post by a dear, respected friend:

"Thanks go to State Representative Ed Delaney (Indpls.) for his efforts to address Indiana's teacher shortage. He explains how we got here very well.

One more point...when local property taxes were capped, the State of Indiana was supposed to replace lost LOCAL revenues with STATE funds for public schools. Instead, public schools were cut, then, further drained to finance charter and private schools. Curricula, class-sizes, teaching positions and pay have all suffered ever since."

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2142784025804824&id=351225391627372

Here's how Gov. Holcomb's plan to boost teacher pay could widen pay gap in Indiana

"Based on the analysis of 2018 wages, Indianapolis Public Schools could save more than $2 million a year. Lawrence, Perry and Wayne townships would save more than $1 million. Hamilton Southeastern Schools would save nearly $1.5 million.F

For tiny Medora Community Schools in rural Jackson County, the loss of just two students would erase the $12,000 that district is projected to save. An enrollment drop of two students — or even 10 students — spread across all 13 grade levels isn't enough to cut staff. So fixed costs will stay the same, but state money will drop, explained Roger Bane, superintendent at Medora."

The money following the student like it is right now is hurting all the small schools," he said."

https://tinyurl.com/yasnks2z

Hoosiers close to losing chance to vote for state schools superintendent

Hoosier voters are on the precipice of losing the right to directly choose who they want to administer education policy in Indiana.

https://tinyurl.com/y7rb7y84

Costly choice: Indiana can't afford voucher money-grab

"Southwest Allen County Schools Superintendent Phil Downs, who has closely tracked the financial effects of the voucher program on Indiana school districts, points out the cost of HB 1675 could double the cost of the state's voucher program...House Bill 1675, a voucher expansion bill that could cost taxpayers as much as $170 million a year.

http://www.journalgazette.net/opinion/20190129/costly-choice

National School Choice Week

Hoosier parents are being encouraged to explore options for their student’s education during National School Choice Week. Here’s the broadcast from Fox59 in Indianapolis.

Controversial Virtual School Operator Pivots to Job Training

"The pivot is, in some ways, an obvious financial and strategic decision. It comes on the heels of the 2018 midterm election in which governors on both sides of the aisle ran on a commitment to reintroduce career education to high school students and increase apprenticeships in an effort to fill the skilled jobs gap – an issue that's drawn increasing national attention over the last few years."

https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2018-12-10/controversial-virtual-school-operator-k12-pivots-to-job-training

Many Online Education Marketplaces Have Sputtered. Will Quizlet’s Pass the Test?

Many Online Education Marketplaces Have Sputtered. Will Quizlet’s Pass the Test?

"In order to sell premium materials on Quizlet, one must first apply and be approved as a “Verified Creator.” The process includes a thorough review of the credentials of prospective content creators, and whether they can prove that their published materials are already used in educational institutions.

So far 30 such content creators have been green-lighted, ranging from high-school teachers and college professors, to digital education companies like Babbel and brand-name publishers including Kaplan, Penguin Random House, Oxford University Press and Pearson, which is selling a handful of English vocabulary materials. Most of the materials currently available come in the form of pre-packaged flashcards and study sets, which users can purchase."

Teachers Launch First Strike at Charter School Network (Chicago)

Teachers Launch First Strike at Charter School Network

Why Good Teachers Quit Teaching

Article from WeAreTeachers.com - Why Good Teachers Quit Teaching

Curriculum Resources Covering Holidays & Observances from Around the World

By Phil Nast, retired middle school teacher and freelance writer
From NEA Resources.

 
Celebrate the holiday season and learn how others celebrate with these lessons and resources for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ashura, Pongal, and New Years.


RESOURCES FOR:

• Grades K-5
• Grades 6-12

Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month

November is Native American Month and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Explore Native American Culture with the Following Lessons, Activities, and Resources from NEA

Resources for:

• Grades K-5
• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

The 2016 Honor Roll: EdTech’s Must-Read K-12 IT Blogs

Gurus, communities, leaders and all-stars highlight this year’s latest batch of the top K-12 blogs.

http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2016/04/50-k12-must-read-IT-blogs-2016

From: EdTech K-12 Magazine

Indiana PBS Lesson Plans

Indiana PBS lesson plan website. Plans can be selected by grade, subject, or standards. Reference terms are assigned to each statement within a standards document and to each media resource, and correlations are based upon matches of these terms for a given grade band.

http://indiana.pbslearningmedia.org/?gclid=CJeZ1uPK-M8CFQIKaQodaCMOAA

Resources Toolkit for New Teachers

From classroom management to working with parents, lesson planning to learning environments, this compilation of blogs, videos, and other resources provides an array of tips and advice for teachers just starting out. 

Originally Published: May 10, 2013 | Updated: May 8, 2015 

 

Before you dig in to the resources, consider advice from veteran educator Elena Aguilar in her post, "What I Wish I'd Known as a New Teacher." Also, listen to encouragement and insight from a variety of educators who describe what they would have said to themselves on their own first day of teaching, in the video "If I Knew Then: A Letter to Me on My First Day of Teaching."

 

5 Tips for Parent-teacher Conference Success

It’s not hard for a parent-teacher conference to go off the rails. If a parent has a bone to pick about the school’s dress code, for example, that conversation can quickly eat up the entire meeting time—leaving precious few minutes for a teacher to explain their child’s report card or discuss academic and behavior issues.

That’s why savvy teachers plan ahead to get the most out of their brief face-to-face time with parents. Following these tips will ensure that parent-teacher conferences are as productive as possible.

https://m.neamb.com/professional-resources/5-tips-for-parent-conference-success.htm

Parent Involvement in Education - Resources

Parent involvement in education is one of the biggest predictors of student success: http://www.edutopia.org/parent-leadership-education-resources