Governor Daniels stops at local Boy's and Girl's Club to check on education program

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WANE) - Seven years ago, Governor Mitch Daniels started Mitch's Kids, a program designed to help students in math and reading. He made a stop in Huntington Wednesday to see how the program is coming along.

Governor Daniels said this program is doing exactly what it's suppose to do. He said though it's important to see how the program is doing on paper,. he wants to get his report from the students themselves.

"Gabby, for instance, told me that she was way behind in reading, and now she's at or ahead a grade level. Siera upstairs told me she use to get a lot a F's and she's had all A's and B's the last couple report cards," Daniels said after speaking to a couple students at the Huntington's Boy's and Girl's Club.

This program is a partnership between the state and the Boy's and Girl's Club across Indiana to give students resources for improving their math and reading.  These are main areas the governor feels students are lacking.

 "We're just trying to get young kids to the starting line and on an even basis, whereas before, a lot of them are starting on way behind and even great teachers have troubles catching them up," he said.

Some teachers are losing their jobs. Daniels credits that to shrinking districts across the state. Plus, some records are showing some state charter schools are underperforming. Daniels said that's because students are having trouble within certain subject areas. Even with all that, he said the state has made great strides in education reform.

"The new reforms that are already in showing very positive results. Dropout rates have gone way down because of a bill we passed a few years ago, so, we have a long way to go," the governor said.

It takes $1 million to fund this program. Across the state, there are 77 Mitch's Kids programs.