Comments on: Some Will Win, Some Will Lose…

By: reallyy

reallyy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:23:33 +0000

The losers were the Hoosier taxpayers. Within 24 short months (my guess much sooner), expect substantial tax increases to shore up the State budget. Time will tell. Schools districts and public safety are the first to take a hit. Failures by Mitch have been fundamental government reform (which would have saved millions), property tax reform (sorry, tax caps are a farce), CIB (Mitch got the State involved in a purely county issue), school funding (IPS is failing in part due to funding). Expect local municipal and county budgets to increase taxes sooner to make up for state funding shortfalls.

By: reallyy

reallyy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:23:33 +0000

By: Maconbacon

Maconbacon — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:18:29 +0000

This must be a website for Republicans and the charter school lobbysists. Wish the ISTA away because the NEA loves charter schools. Why? They know and believe that they'll someday organize those teachers as well then where will we be? Charters dump the kids back on the public schools after September 21 and KEEP the funding. The dollars should follow ths student ALL year due to the transient population of urban schools. This website is funnier than Comedy Central and Fox News combined. I love it. Charters???

By: Think Again

Think Again — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:27:59 +0000

Pascal, that's actually a very good point.

But Indiana's constitution requires a free and appropriate education for all students. And, if we don't equip those students you describe as "below 100 IQ", to deal with their world as adults, who will? How will they become anything as adults, other than drains on society and our tax dollars?

Perhaps we need a solid discussion about how we prepare those students for adult lives. It's a fair subject. My guess is, it will be more expensive per student, to properly prepare those kids.

By: pascal

pascal — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:16:22 +0000

“Special needs” ? Is it not possible to comprehend that not all can be schooled, instructed, or brought to any standard of academic competence? Do the math sometime instead of pricking your bleeding hearts. Fully half of students are below average on IQ which is the main predictor of academic success. Can you expect from a below 100 IQ CHILD the same academic success as that of a kid with 115? Only in Indiana. IDOE shows the CSI of every classroom in the State. Roughly, it is the IQ of that classroom on average. Look up IPS, for example, and you will find very low CSI. Let's talk about that amongst adults and all of its implications?

By: Think Again

Think Again — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:23:52 +0000

Paul, I do know what I'm talking about regarding charter schools. I was speaking generally, of course, but specific experience with three different charter schools in different parts of the city tell me I'm right. I wasn't happy to learn it. It didn't make my day.

And, for what it's worth, I am aware of specific charter schools that get transportation money. They should get it. Not in exactly the same manner, but some transportation assistance is appropriate.

I'm not sure about your IPS exodus percentages, Paul, but it's about what I would've expected. Except: a decent number leave Marion County altogether.

By: Jack

Jack — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:55:13 +0000

The last comments on charter schools is a common thread across the country—they do cherry pick, they are not willing/able to take on the tremendous job of handling the 15%+ of students with very serious concerns, they don't need transportation, they don't need special education or the supporting facilities, attendance officers, expensive sports programs (just try to drop those from local schools even if the board/administration wanted to), etc.. They are not burdened by some of the amazing pile of regulations heaped up regular schools, the magnifying glass is not nearly as critical as with other schools. The cherry picking part is an interesting when considering the finalist in several Indiana sports programs—how many “special” schools make it to the late stages of competition, and please don't someone say it is because of anything less than the fact they can recruit/allow for students with “special skills” to attend.

By: Wayne T.

Wayne T. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:49:21 +0000

You need to be in some of these public schools when parents come in and say that the charter schools said they need to enroll their son/daughter in a public school because they have special needs and the charters dont have the money, the trained staff or time to deal with the problems….I have seen this over and over and over. Talk to people who handle the enrolling process in any public school and you will hear the same story…………………..some charters are more subtle about it than others…but it happens…the same with students with poor attendance, poor motivation or uninvolved parents………

By: Melyssa

Melyssa — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:38:08 +0000

Obviously I wanted a government shut down too. Only to show that most everything will work fine without government.

By: pascal

pascal — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:02:21 +0000

In what way is the following analogy in any sort of error? “ISTA is to government schools what the UAW was to GM, Ford, and Chrysler”. Ever hear of the Learning Company? Is there any comparable unproductive sector to compare with government schools on an input to output basis? Think about Moe and Chubb's last book (Politics, Markets and America's Schools) and then get a copy of their latest-note to Mitch…David Holt had this on the screen long before this book came out. I'd say that if we want to improve performance from the Indiana stench we have, thanks to ISTA and others, then use the technology the private sector does and get rid of the buggy whips and fifth wheels. For readers, Liberating Learning, $25 American.