Indiana State Superintendent of Schools Tony Bennett recently proposed a series of changes to the ways in which teachers are educated (briefly: more subject mastery, less pedagogy) and how licenses will be granted in the state (again, briefly: make it easier to transition into teaching from another career). Many teachers, ed. school folks, teachers-in-training do not like the reforms. The manner in which this all unfolded was not very surprising.
The proposed changes are not as bad as many say they are, but they are also not a solution to the problems with Indiana's - and the country's - public education system. They may attract some people from the professional world with expertise in particular areas into the teaching profession, but this kind of thing is already happening. Nonetheless, these changes may be necessary in order to compensate for the looming teacher shortage that will come as more and more boomer-teachers retire. It might weaken the ed. schools, which may or may not be one of the governor's goals. It might affect teachers' unions, though there is no reason to believe that this new kind of teacher will have any less incentive to join than one who is traditionally-trained. It won't attract a huge swath of talented and motivated people to the profession who otherwise wouldn't teach - only money would do that. As things stand, most teachers in Indiana - even if they are the best-educated, most successful, and most experienced teachers in their districts - will not make half of what the average superintendent makes in a year.
Following the jump, three videos that make up a segment from WFIU on the current funding formula used by the state DOE and on Bennett's proposed changes:
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