Former School Town of Highland superintendent Judy DeMuth and Russ Skiba testified recently before the Senate Education and Career Development Committee, but they had opposing views on a bill that includes changes to school data and school improvement plan reporting requirements.
If the bill is moved out of the committee, where it is currently on hold, it could also affect the public’s access to school records, and it would make school accreditation voluntary.
With the goal of reducing burdens on school administrations, DeMuth, now superintendent of the Monroe County Community School Corp., was among other state superintendents who spoke before lawmakers in support of Senate Bill 500, a 300-page document authored by state Sen. Pete Miller, R-Avon.
Before the bill was proposed, it was researched and developed by the law firm of Church Church Hittle and Antrim, and the MCCSC board approved paying the firm $1,000 in September 2014 to draft the bill. MCCSC was one of 28 Indiana school corporations that came together to support and finance the creation of the legislation.
DeMuth said the bill summarized as “education deregulation” represents an opportunity for legislators to learn what she considers cumbersome and outdated school reporting requirements and make changes that could enhance local school governance.
“This is a bill to reduce many reporting requirements that public schools currently have that may not be monitored, are not necessary or appropriate today,” DeMuth said in a phone interview. “Because of the many reporting requirements we have and the time it takes for our people to put that together, the corporations said we’ve got to have our legislators pay attention to this and enter a bill that examines a need for each of these reports,” she said.
In particular, DeMuth would like to see changes in the way schools develop and submit school improvement plans.
“The bottom line is, today we need the flexibility to write the plans however it is that that school can meet those children’s needs, and so we don’t need a certain format, we need to be able to do it the way it works for the staff and it means something in educating our kids,” she said.
But Skiba, an Indiana University School of Education professor, says the repeal of school reporting requirements in SB 500 could affect the ability of schools and legislators to develop policies based on evidence.
The bill would eliminate requirements for schools to report on disciplinary actions — such as expulsions and suspensions — and the reasons for them — such as if the discipline resulted from alcohol, weapons, attendance or fighting. In its original form, the bill would eliminate the need for schools to compile data on the gender and ethnicity of students as well.
“If we remove data reporting requirements, we fly blind,” he told the senators last week. “Without data, we don’t know where the problem is; we don’t know what we should do to fix the problem; we don’t know if we’re making progress or moving in the wrong direction,” he said.
DeMuth, a graduate of Highland High School, and Skiba were not alone in expressing opposing viewpoints on the new legislation.
After its introduction, the bill received support from numerous superintendents who liked the potential reduction in cost and time spent on reporting, but other aspects of the legislation got push back from such organizations as the Indiana State Teachers Association and the Hoosier State Press Association.
The first draft of SB 500 makes it possible for district superintendents to suspend teachers without pay without requiring a majority vote by the school board. In addition, the bill eliminates the requirement to report instances of teachers who are threatened, harassed or victims of battery.
“This will definitely put teachers more at risk,” Gail Zeheralis, an ISTA representative, told the committee.
Paul Farmer, president of the MCCSC teachers union, echoed Zeheralis’ concerns in a later phone interview.
“Sure, the corporation can be in support of certain bills. They’ve done that in the past. But I do have a concern about, do we understand all parts of the bill and what it will do to our community as a whole?” Farmer said. “It worries me that it’s so large; do we really understand what that’s going to do to us locally?”
Steve Key, the president of the Hoosier State Press Association, expressed concern about a charge of $20 per hour for public records requests that take longer than two hours for school corporations.
“It would have a negative impact on the public’s right to know what governments are doing and contemplating,” Key told the committee.
“It’s not a restriction of public access, just compensation for time lost,” DeMuth said.
She noted that for smaller school corporations, public access requests are burdensome because the district may not have the staff available to fulfill the request in a timely manner.
“I think we’re very fortunate that we’re able to retrieve many of our records digitally. That’s very helpful,” she said. “It’s primarily for those corporations that don’t have the opportunity to do that.”
DeMuth admits she doesn’t agree with every word of the bill and feels it should be amended. At the same time, she thinks it’s important for legislators to consider some of the changes proposed in SB 500.
“I think what we have to do is come down to — and I know the senators are — looking at those areas that are not applicable any longer, and getting those moved out. Those areas where there is a reason and we can substantiate a reason for the accounting or the report, then we can retain those, but this gives us a real good start as to what to focus on,” she said.
Since the first hearing on the bill on Jan. 28, it has been amended, but the proposal remains in committee. At a meeting on Wednesday, the Senate Education and Career Development Committee announced it would take another look at SB 500 next week. Amendments to the bill were not available at the time of publication.
Since Wednesday’s amendments, Key has talked with Miller about additional changes to SB 500, but there is still work left to be done before the HSPA will drop its opposition.
“I’m optimistic and hopeful Sen. Miller will continue to work with us to address our concerns so that they’re no longer concerns,” Key said.
Skiba is also eager to see amendments to the bill.
“I’m hopeful the bill will be responsive to concerns that not just me but other people raised,” he said.
“The intent of the bill to reduce burdens on school corporations is a good one. We all want to reduce unnecessary burdens,” Skiba said.
“Restore those provisions about data that would have been repealed — I’d like to see that done,” he said.
At a glance:
As originally submitted, Indiana Senate Bill 500 would:
* Make school accreditation optional.
* Require districts to give the state Department of Education school improvement plans only for schools with D and F grades.
* Allow public agencies to charge a “search fee” of $20 per hour for public records requests that take longer than two hours.
* Eliminate the requirement to report threats, harassment and battery of school employees.
* Eliminate the requirement to report if a student is left on a school bus.
* Allow paid advertisements on school buses.
* Eliminate the requirement to report class sizes to the Department of Education.
* Give district superintendents authority to suspend a teacher without pay, instead of requiring a school board majority vote.
