The Tip of the Iceberg

Take a look at what's next coming from the Governor's office and our disastrous Superintendent of Public Instruction.....the battle continues.
________________________________________
November 3, 2009


Dear ISTA Member,

Thanks for the activism on the part of those of you who submitted comments online or attended and testified at one of the recent REPA hearings. By our count, more than 600 members took time off from school to attend one of the 10 a.m. hearings. We know that thousands of you also took the time to email your comments to Dr. Bennett and members of the Division of Professional Standards Advisory Board. We hope that the volume and quality of the testimony and comments alter the thinking and decision making of Dr. Bennett and the Board regarding teacher relicensure.

I also wanted to let you know that this morning I attended the Indiana Education Roundtable meeting co-chaired by Gov. Daniels and Dr. Bennett. Topics of discussion at today's meeting included:

• Elimination of tenure and seniority, meaning that every teacher would only be issued a one-year license;


• Evaluation of teachers by student test scores;


• Pay based on those evaluations;


• School choice;


• Teacher licensure retention tied to passing a test;


• Allowing multiple and non-traditional paths to become a licensed educator;


• Elimination of collective bargaining in Indiana.

When given the opportunity, I spoke to the Roundtable on behalf of all of Indiana's dedicated public educators. After sitting through today's Roundtable meeting, I believe the groundwork is being laid for legislative efforts in the upcoming session of the General Assembly that will advance the same agenda that was shared at today's meeting. Once the legislative session starts in early January, I will be calling on you and other supporters of public education to help me as ISTA works to prevent the passage of legislation that will severely undermine the basis tenets of the public education system in our state.

Rest assured that ISTA will continue to monitor all education issues and advocate on behalf of public education, Indiana's students, and you.