Phyllis Bush, a founding member of the Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education and a founding board member of the Network for Public Education, warns that the legislature is reconvening on May 14 and will consider a law to facilitate state takeovers and the destruction of local control of public education. Don’t ever believe that Republicans defend local control. When they are in power, they undermine and oppose it.
Bush and her colleagues are especially concerned about a bill called HB 1315.
“HB 1315 focuses on the Muncie and Gary school corporations, which are in fiscal distress. This bill would replace the elected school board of Muncie schools with a board appointed by Ball State University and exempt said board from adhering to a host of laws affecting student learning. By setting a dangerous precedent of state takeover, this bill potentially concerns any public school district that might be in fiscal distress in the future. This bill has the potential of negatively affecting local control, teacher input and protections for students in many communities. This is not just about Muncie and Gary. Your school district could be next.
“Northeast Indiana Friends of Public Education’s concern is that legislators are not listening to the voices of their constituents and are not considering the far-reaching consequences of bringing this bill back in a way that is outside of normal legislative procedures. Add your voice.
“Please encourage legislators to oppose HB 1315 in its present form.
“We NEIFPE members invite people across the state to join us in collective actions to make our voices heard. We will start actions on Monday and continue through May 14. Here are our suggestions:
• Host Postcard Meet-Ups to reach out to our legislators. You can create your own meet-up in coffee shops, homes, libraries or wherever you and your friends are comfortable. NEIFPE will provide postcard templates to help you get started.
• Host a “Tweet-Up.” For those of you who are new to Twitter, we will provide information on how to tweet and on how to schedule tweets at your own convenience. We will also provide sample tweets. All you need is a Twitter account and internet access.
• Send emails and place calls to legislators; these are also effective.
“This is your opportunity to host your own gathering. Let our state legislators know you are paying attention. Show them you care about the issues on which they will be voting. Tell them you a want thorough discussion of the proposals.
“These Meet-Up/Greet Up/Tweet Ups will be statewide actions and will tell our legislators, our friends and neighbors: “We are watching this, and we are proud to advocate for public education.””
Diane Ravitch's blog 
HB1314 is designed to help corporations take over your public schools, especially your public money while eliminating democratic control. It is much easier to get an appointed bureaucrat to comply with selling off public schools than an elected board. Of course, this is about more than Indiana. It is a template for gaining control of decisions regarding public education. What communities need to understand is that charter expansion, not only undermines public school budgets, it costs taxpayers more to operate parallel systems. When these municipalities are teetering on the brink of collapse under the weight of the added expense, hedge funds will make a move on the vulnerable community. If communities want a sound, stable economy, they should eschew charter expansion as it is a ticket to the loss of democratic control and potential economic disaster. Hedge fund vultures are always one step ahead, planning their next opportunistic move. Stop them; do not expand charters!
HOLY COW! This is CRAZY. But then, look at congress (lower case C); this is AMERI-DUH. Hope we recover. I worry for this country and its future, which is downright shaky right now. And btw, I also blame the DFERS. The DEM party are fussing over the DFERS appropriating the word Democrats.
Maybe the writing we have done has finally cracked the DFERS. I sure hope so. The DFERS are (fill in the blank). I have my descriptive word(s).
Thank you, Diane for the information. I sent a forward of the whole posting with this letter. This state is driving me crazy. [I highlighted in bold red parts of the quote that is in this letter.] Sending them information is like talking to a wooden door.
…………………
Dear Senator Niemeyer and Representative Slager, [Repubs from NW Indiana]
Once again Indiana is in the news because of proposed bad legislation. I am letting you know that I oppose bill HB 1315. Our schools need proper funding not laws that destroy the weakest members of society.
Senator Neimeyer sent me emails once telling me about how much money was being put into schools. I am ONLY interested in the lack of proper funding and support for public schools. I am a retired public school teacher and the direction that this state goes in is undermining education.
Quote: “HB 1315 focuses on the Muncie and Gary school corporations, which are in fiscal distress. This bill would replace the elected school board of Muncie schools with a board appointed by Ball State University and exempt said board from adhering to a host of laws affecting student learning. By setting a dangerous precedent of state takeover, this bill potentially concerns any public school district that might be in fiscal distress in the future. This bill has the potential of negatively affecting local control, teacher input and protections for students in many communities. This is not just about Muncie and Gary. Your school district could be next.
Carol Ring
Schererville, IN 46375
Phone: ———–
I just want to add that part of the problem in Indiana is the badly worded surveys that get sent out every so often by state officials. These surveys are worded to get the responses that are desired. Too many facts are omitted.
Indiana is a red state so the GOP gets what it wants here. Indiana went heavy for Trump.
I have major problems with surveys. They are “cooked.”
NOT ALL surveys are “COOKED.” But most are. I read those questions and responses carefully and think, “OMG.”
An interesting phenomenon these days: endless surveys proposed as ‘research’ which will then be used to keep whatever program or invasion to which the surveys are attached in place.
One more problem with the GOP control of Indiana government is severe gerrymandering. Indiana is one of the worst gerrymandered states in the US. I keep hoping someone will sue to get this fixed.
I didn’t know I had my foil hat on ’till I tried combing my hair…
Who oversees/controls degree granting institutions?
Who oversees/controls license granting institutions?
Who oversees/controls the certification “process”?
Who determines the “metrics” used to define academic proficiency?
Who determined “testing” as a must?
This is WHY the politicians want control over higher education. They want TOTAL CONTROL over ALL people who are NOT of the Oligarchy. And boy, if one does not have the “right” color skin, then it’s even worse. The is called PAY to PLAY.
It would seem Indiana, tho I’d thought it was a hotbed of school choice, is still a relative babe in the woods. If I understand correctly, the proposed law is their first assay at state takeover of financially distressed districts (i.e., removal of local control [taxation w/o representation]). Checking 2016 stats, I found IN is way behind rust-state nbrs OH & MI in charter-sch enrollment (IN 4%, OH 8%, MI 10%). I guess they are just getting underway.
Here’s a weird stat: in a ranking of states by 2015 NAEP scores, IN is up there w/the champs at #6. (hi-ed-reform neighbors OH #19, MI #39). Ranking raw NAEP scores is broad-brush at best– doesn’t take into account the margin of error based on state-to-state variance in sampling/ amt of testing done. In fact if you were to try to correlate it to degree of ed-reform implemented, you can’t, it’s all over the map. [And checking against SES doesn’t help: median income of these 3 states in 2016 virtually identical at 9% below natl median.] But still, the usual states (by any measure) shows up at top 5 & bottom 5… Possibly IN has a lot to lose.
“Ranking raw NAEP scores is broad-brush at best. . . ”
That broad brush was left out to dry without cleaning a long time ago and is stiff as can be and is best used to break up clods of dirt in the garden now. No amount of soaking in turpentine is going to soften it up.
Point taken.