INDIANAPOLIS — After announcing plans for a major district reorganization, now Indianapolis Public School district leaders are meeting with parents and community members about the proposal.
The plan, called Rebuilding Stronger, was proposed a week ago by Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson as a way to improve equity and opportunity in the district. But with so many pieces to the plan, many in the community have questions about how it will roll out.
In their second community meeting about Rebuilding Stronger held Wednesday afternoon, nine people from the community came out to hear about how the proposal will impact thousands of IPS students. It's an increase in attendance from the first meeting, held Monday, where six people came out.
But those IPS parents and community members who did come to the afternoon meeting had plenty of questions for Superintendent Johnson on how their students will be able to enroll in the school they want after the reorganization to how the proposed school closures will impact families.
The plan will establish schools as K-5, 6-8 or high schools, a shift away from the K-8 model many neighborhood schools were utilizing.
Rebuilding Stronger also proposes expanding PreK options as well as special education programs around the district.
The plan will create four enrollment zones within the IPS district, allowing parents to choose the school they want their child to attend within their district. And IPS plans to replicate and expand successful academic programs and options available for students to more schools to make opportunities more accessible for all students.
"Within a parent or family’s zone, they’ll have access to any school with transportation to that zone. So some of our programs that we find to be more popular or in demand right now are concentrated in the northern part of our district. So we’re excited to have those programs now be offered across the district’s geography so more families are able to access them,” Johnson said.
Johnson said she's hopeful these zone and school changes will make programs, extracurricular activities and educational opportunities more equitable across the district.
But the plan also proposes closing seven schools, ones the district says aren't in good shape or are underperforming.
“With school closings, we know and recognize that is deeply painful and a very challenging thing for any family member, staff member or community to experience. What is also true, we believe to be true is we can take those resources that right now are spread across more buildings, that we can then focus them into fewer facilities and buildings, that gives us opportunity to give our kids a more rich experience,” Johnson said.
It's a massive change being proposed for the district. It's why, Johnson said, they're taking the time to meet with community members and families early on, to answer questions on how this will impact students. But, she said, these are important changes that need to be made.
“I think it is needed. You know, I say we can do anything but we can’t do everything. So certainly, if the board or if we hear is that we need to figure out a different way, we can do that. It takes time to do so,” Johnson said. "For me, I feel a lot of urgency in addressing some of these disparities we see right now playing out in our schools that I believe we need to work to address as quickly as we can.”
Wednesday's meeting is one of several that will be held by IPS both virtually and in-person across the district over the next few weeks to give the community a chance to weigh in.
For a schedule of meetings, more details on the IPS plan, or to ask questions and give feedback online, visit www.myips.org.
The IPS school board is expected to vote on the Rebuilding Stronger Plan in November.