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Teachers wait nearly seven hours to testify at legislative hearing on teacher shortage
10/20/2015

 

IMG_20151019_130713.jpgA legislative study committee looking into Indiana’s teacher shortage met late into Monday evening. Close to six hours of testimony was heard from its hand-picked witnesses. The hearing which began at 1 p.m. lasted almost 8 hours.

 

Legislators heard from more than a dozen of their own “experts,” some of whom were from out-of-state—and all of whom conceded that the data they were sharing today “had low response rates,” “has limits,” “has holes in it,” “should be taken with a grain of salt,” and “needs more work and is inconclusive.”

 

Those revelations got us past hour number five of the hearing.

 

Chairman of the study committee, Sen. Dennis Kruse, announced several times throughout hearing that more than 40 people were signed up to testify, warning that the hearing could last until 9:00 p.m.

 

Some ISTA members on fall break traveled to the hearing to testify about the troublesome changes they’ve experienced in their profession—resulting in difficulties in attracting and retaining quality teachers—and which negatively impact students. However, the shear length of the hearing caused most of these members and many other interested parties to leave to meet their family obligations. Not surprisingly, those who were able to stick it out, represented well.

 

ISTA was not called on to testify until nearly 8 p.m. By this time, only six of the 14 committee members were left in the chamber. 

 

Ensuring that ISTA members would be heard, ISTA’s testimony consisted of sharing the stories, the experiences, and the passion of its members gleaned from the series of “Let’s Connect” forums it convened around the state this fall.  

 

Since the study committee announced in late summer that it was going to hold a hearing on the teacher shortage, ISTA expressed disappointment that this single hearing was scheduled at a time where Indiana’s true experts—classroom teachers—would not be able to personally testify. Still, going in, ISTA viewed the hearing as an opportunity to initiate some positive change.

 

But the hearing, as much as any one thing, continues to expose the underlying perceptions that center on disrespect. The committee is saying that it will meet next Monday, October 26th at 1:30 pm to determine legislative recommendations. Stay tuned.

 

ISTA thanks its members who offered these (and many other) insights this fall. Thanks, too, to those who provided written testimony which is being shared with the committee and to those who took precious time away from your families to travel to Indianapolis. And, to all our members who serve Hoosier children every day, you are the best! You do your profession proud.