As the number of school-closing proposals across Indiana increase, the number of impassioned pleas to save schools grows. But one argument persists in Fort Wayne that continues to baffle: Elmhurst High School shouldn't be closed because it's the most successful high school in the district. Apparently, it's an argument

Assuming Fort Wayne teachers ratify the tentative agreement reached with Fort Wayne Community Schools, we're about to find out what a contract agreement hammered out under extraordinary conditions looks like. Teachers have been working under a status quo contract since last April. Negotiators knew then there were no additional dollars available and that sticking with their current contract was the best course.

Scrutiny of for-profit colleges is growing, deservedly. The story from the New York Times points out that students are borrowing aggressively to enroll in trade programs for computers, food service and health care, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in debt that will be difficult to eliminate given the wages of their chosen fields.

The Indiana State Teachers Association launches an issues campaign to make sure Hoosiers know who is responsible for the $300 million in cuts to K-12 education. Keep the Promise includes a Web site and radio and TV spots that ran in the waning days of the General Assembly's just-ended session.

Fort Wayne Community Schools is among the Indiana districts holding firm on its full-day kindergarten program, in spite of wrenching reductions in state support. The progress students are making is too much to ignore. This story

Jason Bearce, spokesman for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, advises me that details on what public institution Indiana high school students attend after graduation is provided only to the high schools, for their own use. Sharing that level of detail publicly raises student privacy considerations, he writes in an e-mail.

The much-anticipated first draft of a national standards document has just been released.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has just released fascinating new reports showing post-secondary information for Indiana high school graduates. The first reports are for the Class of 2007. The CHE news release

Questions about the management of Imagine Schools in Indiana is no longer confined to the charter schools' Fort Wayne locations. Concerned community members are meeting Tuesday night to discuss concerns at Imagine Indiana Life Sciences Academy East. The Rev. Theron Williams of Mount Carmel Baptist Church called me

Indiana is not among the finalists for the federal Race to the Top funds. I would have been surprised if it were, especially now that Gov. Mitch Daniels has acknowledged that he might be a candidate for the GOP nomination for president in 2012.

At least one Indiana school district plans to eliminate its adult education program to help cope with th $300 million in K-12 education cuts ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels. Long-term, that's a penny-wise and pound-foolish approach. Adult education programs do more directly to get people working, paying taxes and supporting public schools than most people realize.

A Madison County citizens group has put state schools chief Tony Bennett in an awkward situation.

This story from the Sarasota Herald Tribune sounds just about right to anyone paying attention to Imagine Schools Inc.

The school funding lawsuit filed by Hamilton Southeastern and two other Indiana school districts is renewing the weak cries of the money should follow the student. In the end, the result is that suburban schools don't get enough to keep up with extraordinary growth, while more per pupil is funneled to urban/rural schools where students need extra support, opines the Evansville Courier Press.

March Madness in Indiana is usually about basketball, but this year it might better describe the school-closing debate. Fort Wayne Community Schools is likely to enter the discussion this month after the school board begins addressing ideas to cut $15 million. Kokomo is looking to close three elementary schools and two middle schools. The superintendent is asking the school board to move the

Fort Wayne Community Schools board President Mark GiaQuinta is clearing the air over an adjustment the board made to the administrative salary schedule in December. He called a news conference for this afternoon to announce there was no raise involved in adding steps to the salary schedule, there will no step increases, there will be no administrative raises of any kind.