Hebron schools unhappy ISTEP will continue

HEBRON | Hebron school officials were still upset Wednesday about the snafus with the state's ISTEP test and the legislature's move that will doom schools to one or two more years of giving the test.

Boone Twp. considers calling for recount

HEBRON | A decision whether to seek a recount of the four-vote defeat of the May 7 Boone Township Schools referendum will be made in the next couple of days.

EDITORIAL: Vote yes on school tax referendums

There are separate extenuating circumstances, but the core problem faced by the Munster, Union Township and Boone Township school districts is a failure of the state government to adequately fund the operation of local schools.

Hebron School Board approves tax referendum

HEBRON | Despite some concern expressed by residents and business owners regarding higher taxes in Boone Township, the School Board approved a general fund referendum.

Some local superintendents call state's school funding formula inequitable

Pamela May does not know a lot about Gary's per-student funding and what it means to her only daughter, a junior in the high-ability program at West Side Leadership Academy.

Additional school count day proposed

Some local school officials like the idea of a second school-count day, while others don't.

Enrollment numbers spike, drop for some local districts on count day

School districts across Northwest Indiana and the state took a head count Friday, and the numbers were up and down across the board.

Teachers go back to school

HEBRON | School Superintendent George Letz welcomed back 160 school employees including 70 teachers Tuesday on orientation day. School starts Wednesday for the district's 1,100 students.

New school laws create competition

As school begins this month, legislation that was passed in the 2011 session will have a widespread impact on schools across Indiana. But the jury is still out on whether the new initiatives will have a positive impact on student achievement.

Local school leaders focus on evaluations

HOBART | As local school districts prepare for new evaluation instruments for teachers and principals, nearly 200 school leaders are participating in a workshop on effective supervision.

Growing list of NWI schools use late starts

Valparaiso Community Schools will join a growing number of region school districts starting the school day later on Wednesdays each week to give teachers time to meet and review instructional data, assessments and teaching strategy.

Lake, Porter county schools show gains on ISTEP-Plus

Many schools in Lake and Porter counties showed gains on the state-mandated ISTEP-Plus exam given to students in third through eighth grade each spring.

Some districts hedge their bets through NIPSCO

In 2003, small school corporations in Lake and Porter counties flocked to join a natural gas cooperative created by the Northwest Indiana Educational Service Center in Highland and, for several years, touted the savings.

Superintendents, boards striving to offer low-cost full-day kindergarten

Local superintendents say it's great the governor put more money into kindergarten, but it's a little misleading to say it will fully fund full-day kindergarten for every district in the state.

Crown Point referendum paves way for other school districts

The Crown Point Community School Corp. has paved the way for local districts seeking voter approval for tax increases to aid in funding shortfalls, region school officials said.

New law brings major changes for local teachers unions

While several local teachers unions have settled their contracts, many are learning they have only until June 30 to get a new agreement before Senate Bill 575 takes effect.

Bennett: Limit collective bargaining

Indiana's top education official, Tony Bennett, made it crystal clear he supports legislation that limits teacher collective bargaining to wages and wage-related fringe benefits.

Hebron officials outline legislation affecting teachers

HEBRON | About 200 teachers and parents turned out for a meeting Thursday night at Hebron High School to get a better understanding of proposed legislation that will affect teachers and schools.

Educators get sneak peek at evaluation model

Local educators have plenty to say about the rough draft evaluation forms the Indiana Department of Education released Thursday; some like it, some don't.

Region superintendents, lawmakers skeptical of governor's education plans

INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels' education reform proposals announced Tuesday in his State of the State address did not get a ringing endorsement from Northwest Indiana school superintendents and state lawmakers.