Morning Bell: IPS Turnaround Schools, Dropout Recovery Charters, Ed Funding

Elle Moxley / StateImpact Indiana

Teachers in the fine arts department at Manual High School discuss curriculum during a summer workshop. Charter Schools USA now manages the former IPS school.

Have we seen the end of state takeover in Indiana? – “Ballard has argued since even before the state took over Donnan Middle School and Manual, Howe and Arlington high schools that he should be in charge of monitoring the outside groups brought in to run them. What’s interesting was that idea had no traction until former State Superintendent Tony Bennett’s defeat to Glenda Ritz in November.” (Here’s our explainer on why Indianapolis is the only city where the mayor sponsors charter schools.) Get On The Bus

Gary Middle College is Dropout High – “The city of Gary has an unemployment rate of about 13 percent and its schools lose nearly half of their high school kids to the streets. It’s a vicious cycle that drains services and tax dollars from a community that can’t afford to fall behind. And it’s led to a proliferation of charter schools in the city.” Gary Post-Tribune

Public school funding is same old shell game – “But what are the priorities? Replacing the $600 million that was cut from public education the last two years? Nope.” The Times of Northwest Indiana

IPFW at the Statehouse – “The bill follows testimony on the governance of regional campuses offered to the Select Commission on Education in a hearing last fall, including charges that the flagship campus exercises too much authority over IPFW and its other regional campuses.” Fort Wayne Journal Gazette