New governing body, transportation requirement among IPS reform recommendations
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The group tasked with designing a more efficient and equitable education system in the city center wants to establish a new governing body to oversee all schools within the Indianapolis Public Schools boundary.
Why it matters: The recommendations of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, adopted Wednesday night, are expected to inform legislation when the Indiana General Assembly returns to the Statehouse next month.
Catch up quick: State lawmakers created the alliance last legislative session, charging the group of city government and education leaders with crafting plans that address facility and transportation management, examining governance structures and looking for increased efficiency.
- This was after earlier legislation that would have dissolved IPS was withdrawn, in an attempt to force the district to the table and better cooperate with charter schools within its boundaries.
Driving the news: Over shouts of "Shame, shame, shame!" eight of the nine alliance members voted in favor of the new governing body, with members appointed by the mayor.
- That new body, the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, would oversee transportation services — something the group recommends requiring all schools in the area to provide — and all school buildings and a unified enrollment system.
- The recommendations call for limiting charter school authorizers within the IPS boundaries to the city, the state charter school board and the IPS board, should the State Board of Education approve them to be an authorizer.
Zoom in: The nine-member board would be made up of three IPS board members, three charter school leaders and three at-large members with expertise in relevant subjects like facilities management, logistics or working with vulnerable student populations.
- The recommendations would require all members to live within the IPS district.
- The mayor would designate the chair.
- The elected IPS board would continue to operate its own schools, aside from the transportation, school buildings, enrollment and an accountability system that would govern all schools within the area.
What they're saying: "The proposal tonight is an imperfect solution for a challenging set of realities," IPS superintendent Aleesia Johnson said. "The reality is that we have too many schools within our boundary, which drains resources. We are inadequately funded to offer the full spectrum of services our most vulnerable students need."
- Johnson voted for the recommendations, adding that it's clear "there's deep care" in the audience and "we're not going to meet everybody's expectation or everyone's desire."
- Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a statement that he thinks the recommendations "reflect a more unified approach across all school types."
The other side: "Status quo has never been an option, but I cannot live with the idea of telling already marginalized families that the only way that they can get the things they've asked for is in exchange for diminishing their power at the ballot box," said Tina Ahlgren, an IPS teacher and member of the alliance who voted against it.
- A large group of parents, public school advocates and other community members were vocal about their disappointment with the recommendations, particularly the role Hogsett would have in appointing the board.
- The mayor, some argued, shouldn't be responsible for the schools within IPS boundaries when the officeholder is elected by the entire county.
Yes, but: Several charter school advocacy groups released statements supportive of the recommendations.
What's next: The recommendations go to state lawmakers, who can file legislation until mid-January.