INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
— Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg blamed Republican-backed
school initiatives Tuesday for Indiana's teacher shortages, and GOP
nominee Eric Holcomb countered during a debate that the state isn't alone
in struggling to attract would-be educators.
The two
candidates both said they want to replace the state's ISTEP standardized
test with an exam that will provide results faster to schools. They didn't
confront each other much over their differing views on education during
the morning debate before an audience mostly of students at Lawrence North
High School in Indianapolis.
Gregg, a former
Indiana House speaker, said policies pushed by Republicans who control the
state Legislature have caused stagnant teacher pay and greater stress on
them by tying salary increases to student test results.
"We need to
realize and admit that we've created this teacher shortage," Gregg said.
"We created this teacher shortage in the last few years by the way we've
demeaned those in the education profession."
Holcomb, who
became Indiana's lieutenant governor in March, countered that states
across the country face similar difficulties in filling teacher positions.
Holcomb said the state has provided funding increases to local schools,
but that he believed too much of that money was going to administrative
costs rather than teacher salaries.
"We need to make
sure that money is getting into the classroom, to the teacher," he said.
Numerous school
districts around Indiana have faced trouble filling some teaching
positions as the number of first-time teaching licenses issued by the
state Department of Education has declined by 33 percent over the past
five years.