By Rick A. Richards
MERRILLVILLE – When U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan addressed the Northwest Indiana Quality of Life Council earlier this month, he didn’t mince any words about the state of education in the region.
Duncan, the former chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools, said, “We have to take on the tough issues in our schools because we’ve been far too complacent. It is time to stop blaming others. We’re all in this together.
“The top performing schools are not as good as some people think and the poor performing schools aren’t as bad as some people think,” said Duncan.
He praised Northwest Indiana’s business community and the Quality of Life Council for their vision of creating a 21st Century workforce. The goal is to have 100 percent of the region’s students graduate from high school with “the knowledge, skills and habits of mind required for success in post-secondary education, the military, apprenticeships or employment.”
But as important as those goals are, Duncan said Northwest Indiana must do more than simply talk about it.
“Today there are no good jobs for dropouts. None,” said Duncan. “Over the next decade, employment will require that people have post-secondary education. Indiana companies are having trouble finding qualified workers right now. Fifty-seven percent of Northwest Indiana workers aren’t earning enough to support a family of four.”
While Indiana’s traditional manufacturing jobs have declined in recent years, Duncan said the region is leading the way in medical research and related jobs.
“We’ve been misleading our high school graduates,” said Duncan. “Too many of them are ill-prepared for life after high school. And worse, one-third will leave the area after they graduate from college. We need to transform the region from a brain drain to a brain gain.”
Indiana, said Duncan, is 59th in the world in math education and 39th in the nation. “Iceland and Slovenia are out educating us,” said Duncan. “We’re not doing anyone any favors by sugar-coating this.”
Duncan said Northwest Indiana’s business leaders, its top educators and its colleges and universities are working together to fix the problem. “But school leaders, unions and teachers need to continue to encourage that partnership. It’s tough work and it’s going to take honesty and persistence.”
Duncan took time to praise Indiana Superintendent of Schools Tony Bennett for his efforts are improving education. Duncan said it’s no secret that Bennett has been a lightning rod for criticism for his sometimes blunt assessment of the state of Hoosier education, but said, “I happen to agree with him.”
He encouraged Bennett to continue his efforts and he urged the region’s leaders to get behind Bennett.
“School reform is not simple,” said Duncan. “It takes collaboration, not confrontation.”
Duncan added that the federal government hasn’t been sensitive enough to the needs of local education, but is taking steps to fix some of those problems, including federal mandates in the No Child Left Behind legislation.
“Indiana has a chance to lead the country in education reform,” said Duncan. “Our children only get one chance at a good education.”
Among the fixes Duncan has proposed is increasing teacher pay, longer school days, a longer school year, elevate the profile of the teaching profession, and teach students to learn instead of teaching them to pass a test.
