Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Poor Record on Education

Don’t miss Erin Tuttle’s article, Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Poor Record on Education, which was published by the Heartland Institute last week.  It addresses the central question of why in the world anyone would take the advice of the Chamber of Commerce when it comes to education policy.  It begins:

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce promotes itself as a steward for the people and businesses of Indiana. No doubt it has done a lot of good for the state. But its support of the Common Core, a new national set of K-12 academic standards and tests in math and English, isn’t doing Indiana any favors.

The Chamber has a poor track record on education issues. From A Nation at Risk in 1986, through Goals 2000 and No Child Left Behind (NCLB), to today’s Common Core, it has consistently advocated for programs that increase federal control of education. Each time, it claimed these programs would create “higher standards” and better student assessments, which would increase graduation rates and improve “college and career readiness.” Unfortunately, its voyages in education always end with student achievement further behind, with the bar being lowered, decreasing graduation rates, and students less prepared for college and careers.

I highly recommend this article, which provides a much needed history of the Chamber’s track record when it comes to education.  If history is any judge, Indiana schools would be much better off if the Chamber would quit meddling in them!