Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Cause of teacher shortage splits Indiana gubernatorial candidates

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TOM DAVIES, Associated Press

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.

 

 

 

 

Posted 9/27/2016

 
 
 
 

 

 

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