Lugar visits Longfellow Middle School

Senator Lugar visited with the principal, teachers and students of Longfellow Middle School on Monday, April 25 to learn about their experiences with No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

In February, The Indianapolis Star reported that Longfellow was behind Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards for five years and slated to close despite the large gains it has made in recent years in student achievement.  ISTEP improvements showed an increase from 19 percent passing in 1999 to 43 percent this year. A decision was made later to extend the school year by 25 days, but otherwise leave the school intact.

“Longfellow Middle School in Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is a vivid example – as portrayed by The Indianapolis Star – of a school that is making significant progress, but is still unable to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress standards as required by the No Child Left Behind Act.  

“I applaud the principal and teachers of Longfellow Middle School for the care and enthusiasm they bring to their building and the students they serve.  I look forward to participating in a substantive discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the No Child Left Behind Act with their situation in mind,” said Senator Lugar.  

The reforms included in the No Child Left Behind Act were designed to close the existing achievement gap and help ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to learn.  Under No Child Left Behind, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those who are disadvantaged or have special needs, achieve academic proficiency.  Schools that do not make progress must provide supplemental services, such as free tutoring or after-school assistance; take corrective actions; and, if still not making Adequate Yearly Progress after five years, make dramatic changes to the way the school is run.

Some have expressed concern with the reliance on testing included in No Child Left Behind.  As a result, the Department of Education has relaxed testing rules for both special education students, as well as limited English proficient students.  However, many believe this does not go far enough, particularly when schools fall into an improvement category due to only a few students or when schools making dramatic improvements, but still not “Adequate Yearly Progress.”
“As a product of a public school education and former member of the Indianapolis Public School Board, I firmly believe that a strong public school system is vital to our state and our nation,” Lugar said.  “While many of our public schools are doing well, some are not.  We must keep working toward a day when all children are reaching their potential.”

Earth Day at the Lugar Farm

On Sunday, April 24, to celebrate Earth Day, Senator Lugar hosted an event at his family farm in Marion County to recognize the partnership between the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) that allows Indiana farmers and landowners to earn greenhouse gas emissions credits when they practice conservation tillage, or plant grasses and trees.

“I want to congratulate the innovative work that my fellow Hoosier farmers are doing by engaging in carbon-absorbing environmental practices.  These practices help the environment and present a new opportunity to increase farm income.  I would like to commend the efforts of the National Farmers Union and Chicago Climate Exchange in Indiana and other states to help promote these opportunities among our industries, communities and landowners. I would encourage other agricultural and environmental organizations to engage in similar practices,” Senator Lugar said.

In his remarks, Senator Lugar commented on the bright future for farmers as new markets emerge and discussed how farmers can help mitigate climate change by using proven methods such as low and no-till methods. On his own farm, Senator Lugar demonstrates the ability of trees to pull and store carbon from the atmosphere.  Senator Lugar also mentioned the efforts today will be reflected in climate change legislation that will eventually be enacted.

“I would never have envisioned that there would be value in the carbon stored in my trees,” Senator Lugar said.

The 604-acre family-owned farm in Marion County, Indiana produces corn and soybeans and joined CCX as a provider of tradable greenhouse gas emission offsets in May 2006.  One-third of the farm is a classified hardwood tree farm, including significant acreage in black walnut trees that were planted in recent years.  Growth of these trees produces oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the air.

“I am hopeful that farmers in Indiana and elsewhere will investigate the possibility of enrolling in the exchange.  This not only will encourage the practice of sequestering carbon, it will provide an additional source of farm income to those who qualify,” said Senator Lugar. “They can also contribute greatly to solving our nation’s energy problems by growing the grain for ethanol production that reduces our dependence on oil.”

The Lugar Stock Farm’s contract with the Chicago Climate Exchange provides offset carbon credits, or carbon that entities may want to use to mitigate or offset the amount of greenhouse gasses they may produce.  Based on management practices, tree age, tree density, and other factors, the CCX estimates that the Lugar farm will capture about 3,400 metric tons of carbon in these trees.  Instead of selling these offset credits directly to specific generators of carbon, the CCX operates as a market discovery mechanism similar to corn and soybean markets where willing buyers and sellers transact business based on commodity prices.  The Lugar Stock Farm maintains legal ownership of these offset credits until a market decision is made to sell them on the exchange.  Additionally, the farm is responsible for reporting any loss of trees, or the addition of trees, to ensure that carbon is being stored.