Myths About Public Education in Indiana

MYTH: Public Schools are Failing our children.
FACTS:
  • National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test scores are the highest in the history of the Federal tests. On basic NAEP scores, Indiana has outperformed the nation on all 41 NAEP assessments since 1990.
  • Indiana Graduation Rates are the highest in history. 85.7% graduated in four years or less in the Class of 2012, up from 84.1%, 81.5%, 77.8%, 76.4%, and 76.1% in the last five graduating classes.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
http://icpe2011.com/Good_News_about_Schools.html
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MYTH: Charter Schools provide a better education.
FACTS:
  • Public schools outperformed charter schools on 2012 ISTEP tests.
  • IREAD-3 results for 2012 show 85% of public schools passing but only 70% of charter schools passing.
  • Public schools can and do offer creative and successful programs; for example, Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, New Tech, Language immersion, and dual credit courses.
  • Public schools serve ALL students.
http://www.jgdata.net/istep
http://www.doe.in.gov/achievement/assessment/istep-results
http://icpe2011.com/Good_News_about_Schools.html/
http://www.fortwayneschools.org/
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MYTH: Poverty does not affect a child's educational performance.
FACTS:
  • Family income is the single most reliable predictor of student test scores.
  • The correlation of poverty and academic achievement is one of the most consistent findings in educational research.
  • ISTEP scores confirm that poverty negatively impacts student achievement and performance.
http://doe.in.gov/achievement/assessment/istep-results
http://parentsacrossamerica.org/2012/02/diane-ravitch-do-politicians-know-anything-about-education/
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MYTH: Teachers' unions use tenure to protect poorly performing teachers from dismissal.
FACTS:
  • Teacher in K-12 do not have tenure. They have never had a guaranteed "job for life".
  • Teachers remain subject to the same disciplinary actions as employees in other fields.
  • Teachers did have the right to due process under state law which goverened the dismissal provess; however, the legislature changed the law and eliminated due process.
  • Termination of ineffective teachers was and is the responsibility of the school administration.
http://media.doe.in.gov/infomeetings/docs/2011-07-27-InfoMeeting-Handout.pdf
http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/legal/sea-575.pdf
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