The State of Public Education in Indiana

Jason Ortiz (Class VII Fellow) is a leader in cybersecurity and IoT solutions. He currently manages a software intelligence team at a cybersecurity startup and is a co-founder for an IoT based edtech startup.

On a cloudless fall afternoon in Indiana, a cool breeze bristles through the small crowd gathered at the bus stop. The distant rumble of the diesel engine slowly grows until the unmistakable yellow comes into view. The brakes squeal, the bus slows and as the folding doors creak open, you suddenly envision the future. Tentatively grabbing the handrail an astronaut in a puffy white suit fumbles down the large steps. The astronaut fades into a marine, an olive colored “stars forward” flag proudly emblazoned on their right shoulder. A cardiologist appears, then a teacher. An electrician, an AI specialist. A small business owner…

You are jolted from your brief daydream as your Kindergartener crashes into your legs with a huge hug. She’s finally home from her first day of school. You take her hand as you’re hit with all the emotions, and begin the sidewalk journey home. Your emotions transition to worry as you start to wonder if you’re doing enough for her … and if her school is doing enough. Is she going to have the opportunities you envisioned she would in your daydream? Is growing up in Indiana going to set her back or lift her forward?

These were the questions on my mind as the MDLF Class VII Fellows gathered in Evansville to learn more about the state of education in Indiana. How can we ensure our children have the best opportunities in a next generation world? To kick off the day, our class watched a short video from Mitch Daniels, establishing the pivotal role our public education system has in ensuring those opportunities. That set the stage for our first session on “The State of Education in Indiana” with the illustrious Dr. Jenner, Indiana’s first Secretary of Education.

Dr. Jenner began by highlighting some successes. For example, did you know that Indiana ranks #1 in the nation for high school age students who have already obtained some college credit? Then, of course, we have some complex challenges including dramatic drops in our students’ reading attainment and a doubling of chronic absenteeism.

If we consider that our system is entirely designed to prepare students for post-secondary education, and that only about 30% of our students will go on to pursue a four year degree, we could conclude that public education in Indiana is not designed for 70% of our children. This is why the future Indiana diploma will not only continue to provide opportunity for post-secondary enrollment, but will also provide improved opportunities for employment or enlistment after high school by incorporating apprenticeships and enumerating enlistment qualifications.

In our next session, we explored the state of early childhood education with Maureen Weber, CEO of Early Learning Indiana. Maureen shared insights into why investments in early learning produce greater returns than the same investment in later years. She shared the startling fact that only 28% of Indiana children can be served by our current high quality early learning capacity with 70% of Indiana counties having inadequate access. Fortunately, Maureen also shared some key initiatives to help address these challenges statewide including striving to optimize the current system with some regulatory reform and focusing on developmental outcomes and not just child care.

During lunch, we heard more about Evansville from Jim Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Old National Bank. Jim and fellow business leaders in Evansville have been driving positive change through many initiatives, including combining resources to create the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP). E-REP is setting data driven priorities focused on economic growth, attraction and retention of a highly skilled workforce and elevating quality of life in the region.

After lunch we focused on opportunities after high school graduation, starting with a presentation of the HOPE (Hoosier Opportunities and Possibilities through Education) Agenda by Josh Garrison of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. We closed our day with an insightful panel on workforce development initiatives in Indiana. The panel featured Dedric Day, Sr. Director of Strategic Talent Partnerships at Eli Lilly, Katie Lash, VP for K-14 Strategic Initiatives at Ivy Tech, and Alex Maggos, Director of Consulting at Ascend Indiana.

In all, our first day learning about the state of education in Indiana was quite eye-opening. Indiana has a multitude of challenges to address to ensure our children have the best opportunities. Nevertheless, the energy and passion for solving those challenges was palpable, and we left inspired to continue learning and to be part of future impactful changes!

MDLF Class VII Fellows at Signature School in Evansville on September 20, 2024