INDIANAPOLIS — Big changes are coming for your child's education, with the IPS school board voting Thursday night to unanimously approve a massive reorganization plan known as "Rebuilding Stronger."
Through this plan, IPS will pivot away from neighborhood schools with K-8 students and move toward dedicated elementary and middle school for students. IPS will establish minimum enrollment numbers in an effort to ensure there are enough resources and programming available for all students to have the same opportunities. That will also mean closing six schools, which were chosen based on low enrollment or low facility grade ratings.
For the past few months, many teachers, parents and students have been split on the benefits of Rebuilding Stronger - some parents strongly opposed over plans to close schools or further worsen racial inequity around IPS. Others are excited to see how the plan will allow for educational opportunities to expand for students.
Indy Education Association vice president Jack Hesser, an IPS math teacher, said after months of back and forth between educators and the district, he's excited about what Rebuilding Stronger will mean for IPS now that it's approved.
"This is going to be tremendously difficult. There was going to be no plan that was going to make all of us happy, certainly there are pieces of this plan that still make me frustrated. But ultimately change is what's needed to move our district forward in a positive direction and one that's serving all of our students," Hesser said.
What's next for the district? IPS will need to take steps to work out a timeline for the transition, for moving staff and, most importantly, for taking steps to begin the process of asking for the referendum funding they'll need to pay for the Rebuilding Stronger Plan.
"Well, I think you know the next several months we will be charged with earning our community's support through that effort. We're asking our community to make an investment in our students, investment in buildings and facilities that demonstrate the value we have for our kids. We know that they deserve it, we know that with the expansion of offerings, with our commitment to want to continue compensation for our hardworking staff, I believe that is worthy of the investment," said IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson.
Jasmine Shaheed-Young, president and CEO of RISE INDY, a nonprofit that works with IPS to make sure families' voices are heard, issued a statement following the passage of the plan:
"Three weeks ago, we called on the district to delay the vote on Rebuilding Stronger until January so the board members who the community selected to lead last week would have a chance to review and vote on a plan they ultimately will be responsible for implementing.
Given the many changes that have been made to the plan since it was released in mid-September, we hope there will still be opportunities for community, especially parents of color, to provide feedback that will lead to further refinement of the plan.
There is still much work to be done to create a truly equitable district for our Black and Brown students. We are excited for newly elected commissioners to continue to lead with courage and center students and families in their decision-making when they take office in January.”