Ed Reform In Indiana

Rheelink

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels put his signature on a new law this weekend that will ensure teachers get high-quality evaluations, rather than working under a weak evaluation system in which they go without the objective feedback every professional needs and wants.

The new law also spells out that teachers who demonstrate they are effective in the classroom can receive higher compensation. In other words, excellence will be rewarded rather than ignored.

The law brings an end to the archaic practice of laying teachers off by seniority rather than quality. In the past, when layoffs have occurred, the last teacher hired was the first fired regardless of teacher effectiveness. The new law says those decisions must be made around the quality of the teacher's work, not just his or her length of service.

State lawmakers also have approved legislation that will provide lower-income students additional school options by allowing them to attend private schools. Importantly, private schools that participate in the program must administer the same accountability tests given to students in public schools to ensure that public dollars are spent wisely.

Another approved bill also is designed to expand the number of high-quality public charter schools created in the state. Charter schools are public schools that operate with more flexibility than traditional public schools and that are open to all students in a district regardless of their neighborhood.

StudentsFirst is proud to have attended the signing ceremony this weekend to support this great achievement in Indiana.