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Should Hoosiers support Glenda Ritz’s plans for ISTEP?

February 17, 2015 6 Comments
Should Hoosiers support Glenda Ritz’s plans for ISTEP?

Following public outrage over the new ISTEP, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), in consultation with testing experts, offered a plan to the Indiana State Board of Education (ISBOE) to cut the testing time by three hours, from over twelve to around nine hours. State Board of Education member Andrea Neal supported the time-cutting measures […]

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School officials bullying parents into taking ISTEP?

February 12, 2015 8 Comments
School officials bullying parents into taking ISTEP?

There are reports of substantial misinformation being spread by school officials regarding a parent’s right to withhold their children from school during the upcoming ISTEP test. I’m not sure if this comes directly from Glenda Ritz’s office or if school district administrators are generating it on thier own accord, but,  either way, it wouldn’t surprise me. […]

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Federal NCLB waiver solely to blame for ISTEP debacle

February 12, 2015 7 Comments
Federal NCLB waiver solely to blame for ISTEP debacle

After the extended ISTEP testing times were released last week, the outrage of parents and teachers led Governor Mike Pence to issue an executive order to have an expert review and shorten the test before it is administered beginning in March. Initially, Superintendent Glenda Ritz pushed back against this effort, stating she had no plans […]

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Alert! Hearing on “Freedom in Testing” bill tomorrow!

February 10, 2015 0 Comments
Alert! Hearing on “Freedom in Testing” bill tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Wed. February 11th, is the hearing on Senator Schneider’s “Freedom in Testing” bill, SB470. Please come and testify or show your support by attending the hearing, which commences at 1:30pm in the Senate Chamber. It is the second to last bill that will be heard, so you don’t need to be there until 2:30pm, […]

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NCLB reauthorization cements Common Core into federal law

February 3, 2015 6 Comments
NCLB reauthorization cements Common Core into federal law

The U.S. Senate is fast-tracking new legislation titled the Every Child Ready for College or a Career Act of 2015, which will reauthorize No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The author of the bill, Senator Lamar Alexander, claims it’s an effort to restore the power of local and state education agencies, but, in reality, it does the opposite. In fact, […]

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