Indiana Seizing the Initiative on Education Reform

Rachel Sheffield / March 14, 2011

The last few weeks have brought a flurry of exciting policy reforms from the Midwest. In Indiana, a variety of new proposals aims to benefit students, teachers, and families.

Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN) is lending his support to a proposal to create scholarship­s for low- and moderate-income students in the state. The scholarship program would allow low-income families to receive as much as 90 percent of the cost of educating a child in a public school to be put toward tuition at a private school of their choice. Although there is strong opposition, the Indiana governor has stated, “We intend to become the first state of full and true choice.”

Indiana is also standing up for teachers, as well as students, by proposing a teacher tenure reform bill, which aims to reward teachers by connecting “teacher evaluations with test scores” and by introducing “a system of performance-based pay.” Additionally, the new law would “make it easier to dismiss teachers repeatedly rated ineffective or in need of improvement.” (more…)