Seventeenth District State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox) is hesitant to vote for a school reform bill that would allow for tax dollars to flow into private or charter schools at the expense of public schools.
“I think when we being talking about allowing tax monies to support more charter schools and vouchers and tax credits, we undermine the rural public school systems that I represent,” said Dembowski. “I’m very concerned about that. We think in terms of choice and allowing students to go to the schools of their choice, to a degree, and that’s acceptable, but I worry constantly about the private schools that require payment to go there. Tax money will go to support schools that will be done by some corporation who decides that they want to establish a new school that will be the best for your child.”
The Indiana Department of Education has prepared a document: “Indiana’s 2011 Education Agenda-Putting Students First”. The document puts forth a series of issues and problems. They include, among others: An antiquated tenure system, teachers and principals not annually evaluated, and ten percent of students are passing advanced placement exams.
Dr. Tony Bennett and Governor Mitch Daniels are championing school reform in this session of the legislature.
