In the words of their Head of Schools, David Garner:

We are educating students today for jobs that do not exist yet, to use technologies that have not been invented yet, to address problems that we are not aware of yet. (Karl Fisch)

The 21st Century demands a more sophisticated range of skills from our students than ever before.  Our world has become globalized and interconnected.  The urgent challenges facing our planet cannot be solved by one country acting alone.  In this interconnected world, critical-thinking, creativity, communication, risk taking, collaboration, intercultural awareness, international-mindedness and life-long learning are all essential skills and attitudes.  

At the International School of Indiana, we share your wish to prepare your children for the future that we cannot imagine, and to give them the foundation and attitude to thrive in a changing world.  An education that combines internationally respected academic standards with a truly international outlook.

ISI provides an outstanding education that empowers children to:

• Fulfill their true academic potential across the full range of school subjects
• Match the achievement of good students globally
• Become critical thinkers, able to understand concepts in depth
• Develop the personal skills and habits to become independent, lifelong learners
• Study science and mathematics for a changing world
• Communicate fluently and confidently in other languages
• Benefit from opportunities in athletics, performing arts and other extracurricular activities
• Participate in overseas exchanges
• Develop positive values and sound principles as global citizens
• Gain admission to the world's best universities

ISI is the only school in the Midwest where all of its high school students participate in the full International Baccalaureate Diploma program. As a candidate school for the Primary Years and Middle Years programs of the IB, ISI will provide a seamless continuum of IB programs for all of our students in Pre-K - 12.

Kristen and I had an interesting conversation about the school.  The IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum they offer will be the subject of a post in the near future.  Kristen shared that it costs about $30,000 a year for her two daughters to attend this special school, where students are taught all subjects exclusively in a second language (Spanish, French, or Chinese) through third grade, then are taught 50/50 (English and the second language) during their fourth and fifth grade years, and are expected to be fluent in their second language by sixth grade when they start their third language!  A commendable goal in my book.

Back to the cost.  Kristen currently receives the majority of her girls' tuition in grants.  She still must pay $1500 a month to keep them in this enriching environment.  The grant money will not be available to them next year, so Kristen is in a real quandary about what to do.  This got me thinking about trends and barely hidden agendas in education across our great country.

I've heard it suggested more than once that a major underlying motivation for the accountability movement across America, perhaps most closely identified by the standardized assessments decried by most every adult and child I've discussed this with or heard speak about it---save politicians and major education industry players---is an effort to shift money out of the public sector and into the private sector. 

By this assessment, NCLB (No Child Left Behind) and other federal/state regulations placed on public schools, which are designed to have students meet relatively arbitrary and standardized (for all children regardless of individual ability/background) bars of achievement, are at their roots an attempt to de-legitimize our public schooling system in America so this money can ultimately be redirected to private interests.  An example often cited is the provision in NCLB that by 2014 ALL students---regardless of any handicapping condition, intellectual capacity, or other consideration---must meet the standardized pass rate without accommodations or modifications.  This is not a "growth model" recognizing that all individuals have different learning styles, different ways of demonstrating mastery, and different abilities to learn.  It is more like the political cartoon in my earlier post asking a monkey, an elephant, a fish, and other varied creatures to all prove their abilities by climbing a tree!

I have barely scratched the surface in exploring this controversial topic and intend to look at it in further depth, and from other angles, in future posts on this blog.  I must hasten to say that I do favor options---public and private---for educating young people across America.  While I hate the idea of an eroded public school system, a system that has done so much for the development of our great country throughout its history, I very much recognize the need for both public and private options even beyond what we offer today.  More discussion and consideration to come!