We have a lot on our plate this session, with high expectations and a laundry list of things to accomplish. We have been moving along rather smoothly on many different issues, but the one I want to focus on this week concerns education. This issue will take some time this session because of parties on both sides of the issue, feel very strongly.
During the session, we have already discussed ways to increase entrepreneurial programs in schools, address student tuition issues and make charter schools more available to Hoosier students.
Out of that list, charter schools are the main issue still stirring up a lot of discussion. Critics continue to say tax dollars shouldn’t be going to private schools—and I would agree, but that isn’t the case here. Charter schools are public schools, which are held to the same accountability measures as public schools.
Supporters agree that charter schools are an additional option for Hoosier families; more specifically, for those students who are not succeeding in their current classroom setting.
A study conducted by the University of Indianapolis proves that students attending public charter schools have greater academic growth than in their traditional public school counterparts. The study concludes that among the students that graduated from the mayor-sponsored charter high schools in 2008, 94 percent are currently enrolled in a 2-or 4-year college or university. Those statistics don’t lie.
I would like to address what I’ve heard about charter schools “comprise 29 spots on the list of the 50 lowest performing schools in the state.” This is completely false. The “29 schools” statistic came from comparing charter schools against district corporations, not school vs. school.
According to 2010 ISTEP results, when all public schools are compared to individual charter schools, only four charter schools appear in the bottom of the list. But before you pass judgment on those four, know that each of those schools opened less than three years ago and has been serving students who previously had a 30 percent passing rate on the ISTEP test.
It’s no secret that most students who enter a charter school are at a significant disadvantage they must overcome. More than 70 percent of charter school students are members of an ethnic minority, but more importantly, on average, students entering a charter schools are 16 percent points behind their peers on ISTEP examinations.
Charter schools were created to help students, not blame teachers. Why this has become such a sore subject is beyond me. They were created to offer an additional option to parents; an option that has proven successful.
Nearly six out of seven parents (or more than 85 percent) reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their child’s public charter school.
Charter schools may not directly affect our community in Johnson County, but we have had success with two schools that are set up similarly—Central Nine and Clark Pleasant Academy. Both schools offer an alternative for students gearing toward graduation, learning a trade and/or continuing their education. Neither school is easier or harder than traditional schools, just different.
Although both schools are not exactly charter schools, they are very similar—proving that, if you provide students in need with an additional option, they too can succeed.
I supported the charter school bill this week because I can’t disagree with facts—we are in need of more alternatives, such as charter schools, that would meet the need of all students around the state, in communities that want them. More than 22,000 students are currently attending Indiana charter schools, with more than 3,500 students on the waiting list.
The facts are clear—parents want them and I am prepared to do what I can to provide them with the option.
I encourage you to stay in the conversation and send any feedback my way at H58@in.gov or call my office at 1-800-382-9841. You can also stay up-to-date on the above legislation or any other bill at www.in.gov/legislative.
