IPS commissioners provided some clarity on their talks about reducing the district’s size during a community meeting Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Commissioners confirmed they have been looking at the boundaries but emphasized it’s only an option at this point and that no decisions have been made.
The conversation had taken off on social media in recent weeks as word spread that commissioners may be considering reducing IPS’ boundaries to only Center Township.
“This is an option,” President Angelia Moore told a full Anna Brochhausen School 88 gymnasium on Nov. 11. “This is not a decision. This is not something that we’ve even taken down the road, but we want to be transparent and let you know what are the options.”
The commissioners presented a map of schools located outside of Center Township and asked for feedback on the idea — though few specific details were given as to what shrinking the district’s size would mean for those outlying schools.
That raised questions among parents and teachers about what would happen to schools outside of Center Township: Would teachers have jobs? Would those schools be run by other districts?
The idea is being raised as IPS grapples with changes in its operational funding. A taxpayer supported referendum is due to expire next year. And, school choice advocates secured a major win this year with the passage of a new law directing more operating dollars from district schools to area charter schools.
IPS Commissioner Allissa Impink said during a community meeting last week that the new property tax sharing, when fully phased in, could lead to a loss of half the district’s operations fund.
Limiting the district’s boundaries, however, isn’t the only path to reducing the district’s physical footprint. IPS commissioners have advocated for a pause on opening new charter schools in the city.
IPS could also consider criteria such as enrollment, a building’s condition and academic performance before deciding whether to close a school. But, the commissioners said it’s clear something needs to be done to consolidate.
“If you have a little history about the district, the district was built for 130,000 students,” Moore said Nov. 11. “We have 41,000 students in public education (today). We have to right size.”
Questions about a smaller IPS
The idea — presented more directly this week than in a previous community meeting — raised questions about what would happen to teachers and students currently assigned to schools in outlying townships.
IPS operates more than a dozen schools outside of Center Township. One teacher pointed to a lack of middle schools positioned in the center of the city and asked what would happen to students’ transitions between elementary schools that feed into middle schools if broken up by township lines.
There were also questions about who would assume responsibility for schools outside of Center Township and whether they would honor existing teacher contracts.
“We’re also talking about students, teachers and families,” said Monica Shellhamer, a leader within the district’s teachers union. “Will teachers not have jobs if they are not teaching in a school in Center Township, or will the township be responsible for picking up their contract? And then, will their pay stay the same, because IPS pay does not match township pay?”
Another teacher pleaded with the board to be transparent about its next steps in exploring a smaller footprint.
“I’m the parent of a fourth grader and I’m also an educator; I teach elementary school music at School 96 on the west side and my husband teaches band at Arlington Middle School,” Adrea McCloud told commissioners. “Families like mine will not survive if we don’t have notice. We need transparency and we need to be able to plan.”
Mark Latta, an IPS parent, asked about the framing of the conversation.
“It sounds like a decision has been made,” Latta said, “which is a terrible way to start.”
Commissioners said they were making notes of questions asked during the meeting and that they would share answers after the meeting. It’s unclear how board members plan to respond to those questions. An IPS spokesperson told Mirror Indy after the meeting he was unsure of the board’s plans, and did not respond to a follow-up email before this story’s publication.
Commissioner Ashley Thomas said during the meeting that the board is committed to bringing the community to the table.
“I’ll fight for it,” she said.
More opportunities to learn about IPS’ future
The conversation comes as a group led by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett continues its study of IPS and charter school transportation and facilities. This group is expected to make recommendations for changes to schools within the current IPS boundaries by the end of the year.
The group, called the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, has its next public meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. The location is expected to be announced on the alliance’s website closer to the meeting date.
IPS Commissioners also have another public meeting coming up for families to learn more about planning for the district’s future. This meeting will be presented virtually at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, through Microsoft Teams.
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Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.
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