Artboardbackpack_iconblog_iconcalendar_iconchat-bubble_iconArtboardclock_iconArtboarddown-arrow-icondownload_iconfacebook-iconflickr-icongears_icongrad-hat_iconhandheart_iconinstagram-iconArtboardlaptop_iconleft-arrow-iconArtboardArtboardnews_iconArtboardpencil_iconpeople_iconpublication_iconArtboardright-arrow-iconruler_iconscroll_iconsearch_iconArtboardspeaker_icontools_icontwitter-iconup-arrow-iconyoutube-icon
‹ Back to List

Legislators reject a pause on accountability; recommend reviewing cuts to teacher pensions as possible shortage solution
10/26/2015

 

IMG_20151026_152020.jpgOn Monday, the legislative committee charged with studying and recommending solutions to Indiana’s teacher shortage met for a second day on the issue following the nearly nine-hour hearing held last week. No public input was allowed, making the hearing’s focus set on some-19 recommendations.

 

While a majority of the recommendations heard were fair and mostly positive, all were just one to two sentence statements rather than specific legislative proposals--which is the customary way for interim committees to adopt recommendations. Those who have been around the General Assembly for any amount of time understand details matter and these recommendations fell short on specifics.

 

A bona fide missed opportunity for the committee was tackling the known negative consequences resulting from Indiana’s transition to new academic standards and a brand new ISTEP test to go along with them. Projected ISTEP results heard by the State Board of Education this month showed barely half of seventh- and eighth-graders will pass the math section and about 100,000 will fail the test overall. More than 50 percent of schools are expected to be labeled D or F--simply because of the new test and standards.

 

Yet, the committee voted 5-6 against making a recommendation to "pause" Indiana's accountability consequences this school year and not penalize teachers and schools. Voting for this recommendation would have sent an unambiguous message to school administrators and teachers that legislators heard the concerns of practitioners. Sending the absolute opposite message, the pause recommendation was the only one not approved by committee members.

 

While a majority of the recommendations addressed recruiting new teachers, Sen. Kruse and other legislators framed a long sought-after solution by some dealing with pensions as a way to retain current teachers. However, this “solution” would only exacerbate the problem.

 

Equally misplaced was a recommendation stating the General Assembly should "review teacher benefits to assess whether increasing teacher salaries and switching to a defined contribution (DC) retirement plan would increase teacher retention." While ISTA appreciates the beginning of conversations about higher salaries, to specifically call for salary increases leveraged against Indiana's already modest pension benefits, is misguided.

 

Research shows that defined benefit plans (over DC plans) provide far greater retirement security to employees. The rationale offered to suggest exchanging salary for pension changes is that we frontload employee benefits. Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that to vest, a member must have 10 years of creditable service. If we are truly concerned with retaining teachers, having the pension vest somewhere between five and 10 years continues to make perfect sense. Sadly, the recommendation offered today actually has the opposite effect on teacher retention by encouraging teachers to leave teaching before the time required to vest--they will have nothing to lose. Frankly, the move to a DC plan has been part of a separate agenda against public employees for years--it would appear as though some are using the current teacher shortage to further this objective.

 

A full list of the committee’s proposed recommendations can be read here. We will provide an update once the committee’s final approved draft is posted.