Program Error!

IPS will have to cut millions from its budget, what programs should be included in those cuts?

Today's Mail

A friend from grad school sent IPS B.S. the Charles Murray book "Real Education" today. IPS B.S. will try to read it over the week. Has anyone given it a read? What do you think?

How Are You Spending Your Christmas Vacation?

So what are you doing over the holidays? Are you recharging your batteries or dreading going back to work?

You Are Not Alone

The Indiana State Board of Education’s recommendations to school districts for coping with the $300 million in cuts appears to be focused on medical insurance costs for good reason. Its recommendations include: Schools districts join the state health insurance plan; and, having all employees contribute equally and equitably to insurance plans.

For your consideration below is a comparison of MSD Washington Township’s annual cost for family PPO medical insurance compared to a government employee benchmark courtesy of the 2009 “Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey” conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust: http://ehbs.kff.org/

Annual Family Insurance Costs	Total Premium Cost	Employee Cost	Taxpayer Cost
State/Local Gov Benchmark	$13,891	$3,195	$10,696
MSDWT teachers	$20,320	$6,711	$13,609
MSDWT administration	$15,716	$1	$15,715

Based on these data, if MSD Washington Township insurance taxpayer costs were to reflect public and private sector benchmarks, perhaps it could afford the State of Indiana’s budget reductions without cutting classroom expenditures or laying off teachers or teaching assistants.

The above information are calculations made by MSDWT school board member Wright based on cost information provided by the MSDWT Administration and the Kaiser source cited above. The implied conclusion does not necessarily reflect the views of other board members.

Greg Wright

Merry Christmas

Here's hoping that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.

B.S. for a Day

IPS B.S. is requesting submissions for print on the blog. There's no word limit and the subject should concern some area of IPS that needs improvement. IPS B.S. won't print your name unless you want it to. You can send your submissions to ipsbs@hotmail.com.

Naughty or Nice?

Who in IPS has been naughty or nice and what should we get Eugene White for Christmas?

Run, Don't Walk

Next year is the election for school boards. Know anybody who should run for IPS?

Cost Cutting

If you haven't heard, here are the recommendations by the State Board of Education on how schools can save money to meet the $300 million cuts.

1. Schools districts join the state health insurance plan.
2. All employees contribute equally and equitably to insurance plans.
3. Limit school board member benefits.
4. Share services between school corporations.
5. Close or sell underutilized buildings.
6. Reduce or eliminate travel expenses, association dues and fees.
7. Administrative hiring freeze.
8. Salary freeze for all school personnel.

IPS B.S. isn't crazy about a salary freeze, but it's better than my fellow teachers getting laid off. What do you think?

Where's the Fat?

We started some pretty good posts in the last comment section regarding what IPS spends on "consultants and programs" . Let's list all the fat in IPS that can be cut!

Brace Yourself for Budget Cuts

The Governor announced today that he's cutting $300 million from K-12 education because of the expected revenue shortfall. Those cuts will filter down to IPS, but how many of you think they will bypass the central office and show up in your school?

Closed Circuit Teaching?

This topic came up at dinner with some fellow educators last night. One them said the problem with class instruction is one or two disruptive students can really mess things up for the rest. So he suggested we send perpetual problem students home and they attend class over the Internet. They can watch over the computer and with a web-cam. That way if they're disruptive the only person being harmed is them and not the rest of the class.

IPS BS knows this is harsh and there are questions of whether those students will actually learn something at home, but don't we have a responsibility to the greater good and help the greater number of students?

Look for the Union Label

An Indiana college student who wants to be a teacher asked IPS BS this weekend if the joining the teacher's Union was worth it? Is it?

Can We Do Better?

Someone e-mailed IPS BS the other day and said all teachers do is complain and if they don't like their working conditions they should go start their own school. IPS BS didn't think that suggestion was too far fetched. So what do you think, if money wasn't an option, would you go create your own public charter or private school? What would your focus be? How would you manage it?

Shuffle the Deck

We've spent a lot of time in previous posts talking who's moving, leaving or being transferred in IPS, so IPS BS created this post so everyone can post what they know about hirings, firings and transfers. Go for it.

Drug's R Us

Over at Rocalli High School, some students were caught with heroin and expelled. Doesn't that make you feel better about IPS?

East side Pride?

Anybody know what's been going on over at Arlington? Amos Brown was ranting up a storm on the radio but IPS BS couldn't hear the broadcast. Details, details!

Moving On Up

The last post was about IPS principals who should go, this one is about which ones should be promoted to help run the district instead of the current clowns we have in charge?

Get Out!

Which IPS principal needs to be shown the door as quickly as possible?

En Grade!!!

From Today's Star. How would your school fair? Or better yet, should there be one grade for the school and another grade for the administration?

State may assign grades to schools

Associated Press

Indiana's State Board of Education is considering a proposal that could change the way the state ranks schools by giving them letter grades instead of putting them into categories.

Since 2006, Indiana has classified schools into one of five categories using a formula based on statewide test scores and student improvement: exemplary progress, commendable progress, academic progress, academic watch or academic probation.

Some say changing those rankings to letter grades -- such as A, B, C, D or F -- would allow people to more clearly understand the rankings and where their local schools fall within them.

The state board voted Wednesday to begin a formal rule-making process that could result in the change to letter grades.

En Guard!!!!

From Today's Indy Star...

Sweep of Tech students’ cars nets swords

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Three students at Arsenal Technical High School are in trouble for inappropriate conduct.

Indianapolis police on today inspected all students’ cars parked on campus for weapons. The sweep was prompted by recent discoveries of guns in city schools.

Two Arsenal Tech students were arrested Tuesday for bringing a gun on campus.
Police say they found no guns but did find two swords in the trunk of one car. They also found a military-style utility knife and steak knives.

Officers arrested three Arsenal Tech students, an 18-year-old and two 17-year-olds. All are facing preliminary misdemeanor charges of possession of a knife on school property.

Police Chief Steve Garner tells WISH (Channel 8) that the search was legal.

More Problems at Tech

Anyone catch this story?

Tech students charged with gun possession

Star report

Two Tech High School students were arrested today after a handgun was found in a car parked in the student parking lot across from campus, Indianapolis Public Schools officials said.

The male students, 17 and 18, face preliminary charges of carrying a handgun without a license on school property, possession of a firearm on school property and dangerous possession of a firearm. The students' names were not released.

The loaded handgun, a .22 caliber semi-automatic, was found after school officials received a tip, according to an IPS news release. Both students were suspended pending expulsion, the release said.