Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is pushing an ambitious education agenda this year, has signed a measure that restricts teachers’ collective bargaining ability.
The new Indiana law, of course, comes in the wake of similar laws approved in Ohio and Wisconsin, which drew protests in the streets and at state capitols. Those two states’ laws face challenges at the ballot box, and in the courts.
The Indiana law limits bargaining between school corporations and teachers’ unions to salary and wage-related benefits. According to Daniels’ office, two provisions take effect immediately: Teacher contracts cannot extend past the budget biennium, and districts cannot collectively bargain teacher evaluation procedures or criteria—a provision that a number of school advocacy groups critical of teachers’ unions have sought.
Daniels and the state’s GOP legislative majority are also trying to make other, major policy changes to the state’s schools. One proposed change is the creation of an ambitious voucher program that, as currently written, would award taxpayer funds for private school costs to thousands of low- and middle-income families.