http://www.journalgazette.net Headlines from the Journal Gazette. Copyright 2010, www.journalgazette.net Newspapers http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100907/BLOGS13/100909657 The only case where closing a school is a positive thing is when students will benefit if they attend a different school. That's supposed to be the accountability piece of charter schools -- if they don't perform, they will be shut down. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:17:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100909657 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100830/BLOGS13/100839949 Gov. Mitch Daniels held a daylong academy for the trustees of Indiana's public colleges and universities today. It's an excellent idea to reinforce their role as watchdogs for all Hoosiers' interests, not simply boosters for their individual institutions. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:41:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100839949 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100827/BLOGS13/100829531 State Superintendent Tony Bennett sent word to Indiana school districts today that the governor has formally applied for federal assistance made available by the recently passed Education Jobs act. Here's a list Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:35:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100829531 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100818/BLOGS13/100819470 Gov. Mitch Daniels last week appointed Susana Duarte De Suarez to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. She looks to be an excellent pick: President and CEO of a communications company with executive experience in several Fortune 500 companies and public-sector experience with FEMA. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:35:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100819470 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100817/BLOGS13/100819548 The newest member of the Indiana General Assembly heard from plenty of educators and union members after he made what many would consider an inflammatory statement at the GOP caucus election. Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:24:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100819548 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100816/BLOGS13/100819623 The pressure is intense on the 23 Indiana schools in their fifth year on academic probation, but the hard-line approach state Superintendent Tony Bennett is taking with them should have every school district in the state feeling nervous. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:42:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100819623 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100813/BLOGS13/100819757 The Sun-Times is reporting that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wants admissions standards at Chicago City Colleges, to cut costs for remedial education. Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:47:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100819757 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100810/BLOGS13/100819934 Watch for some interesting data from the Indiana Department of Education -- somthing that, if it lives up to its billing, apparently will contradict evidence from across the nation on the value of early childhood education. Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:27:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100819934 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100809/BLOGS13/100809529 In California, the ACLU is questioning Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:56:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100809529 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100806/BLOGS13/100809672 The U.S. Department of Education has announced Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:37:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100809672 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100804/BLOGS13/100809816 Conversations about school reform abound; evidence of it is tougher to find. Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:17:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100809816 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100803/BLOGS13/100809878 Indiana's Department of Education adopted the Common Core Standards today upon approval of the Education Roundtable and State Board of Education. "We want to ensure our students are held to the highest academic standard," said state schools chief Tony Bennett. Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:46:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100809878 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100729/BLOGS13/100729466 Critics of investment in quality early childhood education like to point to studies that show test scores of the kids who attend preschool or full-day kindergarten start out strong but fade over time to match those of kids who didn't. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:40:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100729466 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100727/BLOGS13/100729584 The Anderson Herald-Bulletin has an interesting report Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:04:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100729584 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100726/BLOGS13/100729653 Stan Jones, Indiana's former commissioner for higher education, is now president of the Washington-based Complete College America. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:13:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100729653 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100719/BLOGS13/100719522 Plenty of education observers have pointed out State Superintendent Tony Bennett's enthusiastic and unquestioning support for charter schools and his wife's job as a school improvement consultant for the Indiana Public Charter Schools Association. Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:15:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100719522 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100713/BLOGS13/100719821 Florida, hailed as the model of education reform by some Indiana officials, is sweating the results Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:54:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100719821 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100712/BLOGS13/100719903 The Indiana attorney general issued a ruling Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:13:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100719903 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100708/BLOGS13/100709659 Indiana lawmakers gave an enthusiastic reception Wednesday to a report that shows the state could save $454 million a year by pushing public schools and universities to the state employee health-care plan. Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:55:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100709659 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100707/BLOGS13/100709727 As Fort Wayne Community Schools works its way through the painful process of staffing its schools next year, the challenge of staffing 11 schools identified as underperformers is proving difficult. At a meeting last week, board President Mark GiaQuinta defended the shake-up by noting that the district was serious about changing the culture in each of the 11 LEAD schools. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:11:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100709727 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100630/BLOGS13/100639968 From the well-guarded and gun-free zone of the U.S. Supreme Court, a five-member majority ruled Monday that a Chicago handgun ban is unconstitutional. The decision immediately had university attorneys wondering about legal challenges to campus gun prohibitions, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:42:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100639968 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100629/BLOGS13/100629483 I wrote last month about some promising developments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:53:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629483 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100628/BLOGS13/100629551 Some names seem to pop up in Indiana education circles with startling regularity. One of those is Carol D'Amico, the former Ivy Tech vice president who lost out on the chancellor's job but ended up with a generous consulting contract from the Department of Education through her position with Conexus Inc. Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:38:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629551 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100624/BLOGS13/100629754 This news release just arrived from the Indiana Department of Education: It was brought to the Indiana Department of Education's (IDOE) attention today that there have been some questions about a memo IDOE distributed to school corporations in early May regarding the 2011 budget. For the purpose of clarification, Dr. Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:44:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629754 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100623/BLOGS13/100629821 Eight Ohio newspapers collaborated for an investigation of public pensions in the state, producing this fascinating Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:54:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629821 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100622/BLOGS13/100629873 Gov. Mitch Daniels' remarks to the Weekly Standard about a truce on social issues captured most of the attention, but his comments on education are just as interesting. No real surprises here Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:32:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629873 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100621/BLOGS13/100629925 The best evidence that Indiana public charter schools aren't living up to their hype might be found here Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:04:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100629925 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100602/BLOGS13/100609895 Fort Wayne Community Schools has scheduled a news conference for Thursday morning to announce 2010 ISTEP+ results. Superintendent Wendy Robinson hinted at Tuesday's special board meeting that the news is positive. Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:54:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100609895 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100602/BLOGS13/100609915 Indiana's attempt to link the former Ivy Tech Vocational College and Vincennes University as a community college system stalled from the start, but Vincennes now appears to have a winning partnership Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:49:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100609915 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100601/BLOGS13/100609950 Performance-based pay boosters must be disappointed by this news. Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:54:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100609950 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100528/BLOGS13/100529554 At its meeting Monday, the Fort Wayne Community Schools board revised its board policies to restrict the time allowed for individual public comment from five minutes to three minutes. Fri, 28 May 2010 15:38:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100529554 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100528/BLOGS13/100529557 In most quarters today, it is accepted almost as an article of faith that U.S. students lag their counterparts in other countries. Politicians love to make the point, seldom to call for more investment in education but to disparage public schools and preach personal responsibility. Fri, 28 May 2010 14:58:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100529557 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100526/BLOGS13/100529667 I wrote a few weeks ago about a new textbook rental program that Indiana University officials claim will save IU students $3 million next year. Since that program was announced, Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana State University have announced rental programs also claiming to save students money. Wed, 26 May 2010 14:31:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100529667 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100519/BLOGS13/100519507 In January I wrote about a terrific book called, ""Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America's Universities." Based on the authors' thorough research and impressive credentials, I suggested that Indiana policymakers might be moving in the wrong direction by increasingly pushing high school students to Ivy Tech Community College. Wed, 19 May 2010 10:45:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519507 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100518/BLOGS13/100519551 Congressman Mark Souder's resignation this morning is going to draw plenty of comment about hypocrisy, but I'll keep the topic here to education. Tue, 18 May 2010 10:46:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519551 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100517/BLOGS13/100519601 Our Sunday Centerpiece story Mon, 17 May 2010 10:47:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519601 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100514/BLOGS13/100519733 Edweek.org just posted an interesting story exploring the connection between pink slips and hiring in U.S. schools, suggesting that the wave of teacher layoffs resulting from funding shortfalls follows a hiring spree. Fri, 14 May 2010 14:43:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519733 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100511/BLOGS13/100519921 The 311 layoff notices Tue, 11 May 2010 10:39:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519921 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100510/BLOGS13/100519972 Indiana's political leaders are enamored these days with the Florida education blueprint created by former Gov. Jeb Bush. How's that working for them. Mon, 10 May 2010 11:37:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100519972 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100507/BLOGS13/100509630 I was waiting for someone to suggest it's not Gov. Mitch Daniels' fault that first-rate teachers are losing their jobs -- and here it is, compliments of lawyer/blogger Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. Fri, 07 May 2010 16:07:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100509630 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100504/BLOGS13/100509818 It's early and my view of election results is limited to the final returns posted by the ever-efficient Allen County Election Board, but the anti-incumbent mood does seem to have shown up in school board contests. Tue, 04 May 2010 20:23:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100509818 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100504/BLOGS13/100509846 Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day. State Superintendent Tony Bennett's penned his own tribute to Indiana teachers. Tue, 04 May 2010 13:29:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100509846 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100503/BLOGS13/100509902 Our editorial board's interviews with legislative candidates and school board candidates this spring seemed to have a common theme. Repeatedly, they raised concerns about the loss of local control in public education. Mon, 03 May 2010 16:02:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100509902 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100430/BLOGS13/100439965 The Indiana Department of Education wasn't alone in insisting that teacher union buy-in was a necessity in securing Race to the Top dollars. This excellent Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:04:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100439965 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100428/BLOGS13/100429513 Judging from the number of copies that have been e-mailed to me, I suspect there's not a public school teacher in Indiana who hasn't yet read this letter from a Greentown teacher to State Superintendent Tony Bennett. Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:10:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100429513 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100427/BLOGS13/100429560 The best news Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:27:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100429560 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100426/BLOGS13/100429618 Indiana is not the only state struggling with discord between its teachers unions and state government over the federal Race to the Top competition. This Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:27:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100429618 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100421/BLOGS13/100429893 Ball State University economist Michael Hicks makes one of the most absurd observations about school funding I've seen yet in this column Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:27:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100429893 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100419/BLOGS13/100419535 This news story Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:50:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419535 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100416/BLOGS13/100419647 Florida Gov. Charlie Crist did the right thing and vetoed the teacher tenure bill I blogged about earlier this week. Think-tanker Rick Hess, in his Education Week blog, Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:51:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419647 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100415/BLOGS13/100419722 Most of the attention Gary Community Schools earns is negative, so it should be noted when the Lake County school district earns a positive distinction. Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:47:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419722 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100414/BLOGS13/100419778 The higher the stakes for standardized test scores, the greater the likelihood that some teachers and schools will cheat to bolster results. Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:30:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419778 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100413/BLOGS13/100419832 All of the Indiana teachers who traveled to Florida for spring break should have picked up a local newspaper to read about Florida's Senate Bill 6: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:15:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419832 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100412/BLOGS13/100419897 Indiana is among the states that have jumped on the bandwagon to overhaul teacher preparation programs. The current push is to evaluate schools of education based on the test scores of students taught by Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:31:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100419897 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100409/BLOGS13/100409572 State Superintendent Tony Bennett issued an ultimatum to the Indiana teachers unions today: Get in line on the state's reform plan or the state won't apply for the next round of the Race to the Top competition. Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:10:00 EST Learning Curve Karen Francisco 2010100409572