University of Indianapolis Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning David Dresslar discusses measures to hone the performance pay concept for teachers. For the full story, read Rebecca Patrick’s BizVoice article, "Rewarding Performance: Indiana Makes Push for Merit Pay."
Whether they’re “in the money” or “in the red,” everyone can benefit from financial planning. An upcoming event taking place just before Thanksgiving (unbelievably, it’s right around the corner) couldn’t come at a better time. That’s when many people start thinking about holiday shopping (unless you’re like me and have joyfully purchased several gifts by then. I know, I know. Insert collective eye roll). At the same time, they’re thinking of something decidedly less merry: the impact spending will have on their wallets.
On November 13, Indianapolis Financial Planning Day will feature educational workshops covering topics such as debt management, tax planning, paying for college and retirement planning. In addition, there will be one-on-one meetings with financial professionals.
Did I mention you can attend for free?
The program will be held at the University of Indianapolis from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. View registration information.
The event is just one financial planning initiative taking place throughout the state. The Bank on Indiana program, for instance, recently featured in a BizVoice® Web exclusive, helps individuals build relationships with financial institutions by connecting them with affordable financial products and education. Among participating communities are Evansville, Bloomington, Columbus, Greenfield and Indianapolis.
Learn more at www.BankOnIndiana.com.
Advocates of charter schools should be encouraged by a recent report by the University of Indianapolis that featured some enlightening findings. Inside Indiana Business lists the highlights:
• Charter school students differ from traditional school students in critical ways: They enter charter schools at an academic disadvantage relative to their traditional school counterparts, as evidenced by their entering scores on the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP), and they are more likely to be members of minority groups and low-income households.
• Charter schools have the same attendance and stability rates as traditional schools.
• Students who had been enrolled at least two years in their charter school showed significantly greater academic growth when compared to a controlled sample of students from traditional Indiana schools that were similar in demographic characteristics and baseline academic achievement. Charter school students showed 22% more growth in reading, 18% more growth in math and 25% more growth in language usage.
• The growth in reading and language usage for charter students exceeded national growth averages. Math growth was on a par with the national average.
• Cost per unit of academic growth was lower in charter schools
The study was commissioned by Indiana Black Expo, the Indianapolis Urban League and the DeHaan Family Foundation.