Indy Standard

The Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Board of School Commissioners has expressed concern over three legislative bills that could significantly impact the district's funding and operations. The board is urging the community to act swiftly as these bills progress rapidly through the state legislature.

The proposed legislation threatens to eliminate services such as transportation, building, and technology support currently provided to more than half of IPS's innovation charter schools. These services are funded through property taxes. The board emphasizes that removing these services would not benefit students.

"This legislation, as written, would mean the elimination of those very same services as soon as next year for several thousand students we serve today," stated a representative from the IPS Board.

In addition to these bills, other legislative proposals aim to reduce local revenue available for schools. This situation presents a challenging future for IPS, which has already experienced significant changes over the past decades due to policies like UniGov and court-ordered bussing.

"It matters that we name the history that brought us to this place because the reality is, efforts from city or state leadership that would cause significant disruption to our students are not new efforts," noted an IPS spokesperson.

The board is considering developing its own plan in response to recommendations from legislators. They stress the importance of collaboration and working together with state leaders and charter schools for sustainable solutions.

"IPS is more than a school district. It is the heartbeat of our city and has played a central role in shaping who and what this city is today," emphasized an IPS representative.

Despite previous school closures, new charter schools continue to open within IPS boundaries. The board calls for all public schools in the area to be part of any sustainable solution moving forward.

"As Rebuilding Stronger proved, this community does big things best when we do them together and with transparency," said an IPS official while highlighting past achievements like improved graduation rates and recovery from the pandemic.

The board seeks alignment with state and local leaders in creating optimal conditions for student success but insists on being active participants in shaping their community's vision.

"We must be the creators of that vision for our community, and we must do it together," concluded an IPS representative at the meeting.