State Superintendent Tony Bennett Issues “State of Education”

Photo: Stan Jastrzebski

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett, who gave the first "State of Education" address on August 23.

The speech, by Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett, concentrated on accountability in Indiana’s lowest performing schools.  He says that money should not be a barrier to education.

“We must accept the fact that more money is not the answer to the problems challenging our schools.”

He says that the recession has given local districts a chance to reconsider how they do business.  He points to service outsourcing, purchasing consolidation, and a new state health insurance plan as examples of potential areas where schools have saved money.  He says schools need to stop looking for ways to raise revenue and start concentrating on students.

“Instead of trying to figure out how get more money for education.” Bennett says. ” Schools across our state are using innovate measures to get more education for our money.  We should follow their example.”

This speech comes at a time when many of Indiana’s public schools are facing funding cuts as a result of changes to the state’s property tax policy.  According to Monroe County Community School Corporation Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Peggy Chambers, the district has lost about seventy classroom teachers as a result of changes to state funding.

For a full recording of the speech click the audio link above.