The Hits Keep on Coming

  big trouble indeed!  Lots of posts on the Indy Star page and Indiana Citizens encourages you to chime in there but this might be a place to engage this as well.  So many problems here that its hard to begin but, in cynical moments, this looks like the beginning of the end of public education in Indiana.  How do you feel about it being on your watch?

Education officials reveal big reforms

Many educators see trouble ahead

Indiana education officials on Tuesday charted a bold and controversial path for the state's schools with a series of reforms that include forcing out weak teachers, shutting down teacher colleges whose graduates don't get results, and converting troubled schools to charters.

Gov. Mitch Daniels and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett laid out that plan in their application for a piece of the $4.4 billion federal stimulus money earmarked for "Race to the Top" education reform.

Fast Forward documents: Read Indiana's Fast Forward plan on the Indiana Department of Education website

The state, Bennett said, will continue to push for the reforms even if thefederal government does not provide any money.

The proposal envisions a drastically changed educational system where all teachers are evaluated each year. More than half their review would be based on how their students performed on state standardized tests compared with the students' previous scores, and low performers would face consequences.

"We believe it's going to be one of the most creative and aggressive plans out there," Bennett said. "This is about transparency and accountability."

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....."aggressive" I can believe but...."transparency and accountability?"  Do folks really understand what putting teachers on a bell curve means?  It means always having a failing group--how will sign up to teach kids with the most needs? Charter schools and state takeover?  Read: privatization and LESS accountability.  The only thing transparent here is the political spin.  Shameless.