Holdman, Prescott respond

Teachers are being heard. Education funding was increased. Testing is too extensive.

Legislators Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) and Rep. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City), who represent Jay County, offered those thoughts Monday in response to comments from local educators and anticipation of Indiana State Teachers Association’s Red for Ed Action Day.

One of the concerns raised by local teachers ahead of Tuesday’s event at the Indiana Statehouse was that they struggle to get the ear of state legislators and/or do not feel they are listened to by their representatives.

Prescott, who is in the midst of his first term, said he was aware of that criticism and has sought to make himself accessible to his constituents who are involved in education.

He noted that he reached out to superintendents to set up tours with each of the school corporations — Jay, Randolph Eastern (Union City), Randolph Central (Winchester), Randolph Southern, Union (Modoc), Monroe Central, Delaware Community, Liberty-Perry (Wapahani) and Cowan — in his district. He visited all but one. He added that he shared his phone number, through superintendents, with all teachers.

“If you want to meet with me, I am open to meet,” he said, adding that he can be reached at (765) 546-2656 or [email protected].

“It’s important to me as your representative to make sure I am accessible and available, and I will do everything I can to listen to concerns and do my best to help out.

“So I rely on educators and superintendents to know how to vote on these important issues.”

Holdman, who was first elected to the state senate in 2008, said he disagrees with the idea that lawmakers have ignored the voices of educators.

“They are being heard,” he said.

As evidence of that, he noted that the legislature increased education funding by $763 million through the two-year budget approved during the 2019 legislative session. Prescott also noted that number, adding that school districts across the state have been announcing pay raises.

That includes Jay School Corporation, which reached a contract agreement with Jay Classroom Teachers Association this month that calls for raises of 3.5 percent in base pay. In their previous contract, local teachers received a 2-percent raise.

Holdman noted that teacher pay is not just an issue of state funding, but what local school boards do with the funding that comes their way. He complimented recent efforts made by Jay School Corporation.

“Guys like (Jay Schools superintendent) Jeremy Gulley have stepped up to the plate and done some gutsy things to close some schools and gain some efficiencies,” he said, noting the corporation’s declining enrollment. When you’re trying to be efficient and trying to please the patrons, it gets to be a tough agenda.

“Teachers need to be asking those kind of questions. What are you doing to try to be more efficient in your operation? How many non-certified teaching staff positions have been added to the payroll in the last 10 to 12 years?”

He also mentioned insurance, paid time off and the sick bank as other areas of teacher compensation that need to be taken into consideration beyond the base pay rate.

“There’s just a whole lot more to the issue than just teacher pay,” said Holdman.

On testing, Prescott said the immediate issue of low scores on the inaugural ILEARN test, which was new last year in replacing the previous ISTEP, is already being dealt with. State lawmakers are on the same page in terms of not penalizing teachers or corporations for those results.

Beyond that, both he and Holdman agreed that standardized testing is out of control.

“We test too much,” said Holdman. “I’m the first to admit to that.”

“I do realize there is too much testing within the state,” said Prescott. “I’m a limited government conservative … I would like to cut as much regulation as possible.”

But, he added, the bulk of the testing is attached to federal funding. One exception is the IREAD-3 test, which Prescott said he is working to eliminate.

Holdman added that he believes there should be a moratorium on education legislation that adds to the current responsibilities of administrators and teachers.

He added that educators also need to realize that some of the requirements placed on them come from the state board of education rather than the legislature.

“We need to be looking for ways to ease up on what we do with education and, for crying out loud, quit changing the rules,” Holdman said.

One such proposal would involve changing the accountability standard that has been in place for only a few years.

“It’s time to let education policy just sit and marinate for a while rather than pile anything else on local school corporations,” Holdman said.