INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Public Schools are facing declining graduation rates and rising suspension and expulsion rates among Black students in the district.
Commissioner Venita Moore laid out a plan to address those disparities Thursday, calling it a "crisis requiring a heightened level of attention." Based on demographic information from the 2019-2020 school year, 42.3 percent of IPS students are Black and 31.1 percent are Hispanic. Despite that, non-White students of color make up 79 percent of in-school suspensions, 84 percent of out-of-school suspensions, and 86 percent of expulsions.
Moore's proposed plan includes three parts to help foster an equitable learning environment for African-American students.
- Work with district leadership to development a report and action plan analyzing the disproportionate suspension and expulsion rates. The plan will be up for community review within the next 90 days.
- Require racial equity training for all IPS police officers. Prohibit the employment of any officer who has a discrimination complaint or a verified record of use of excessive force.
- Launch a district-wide curriculum review to include civil rights education and training for students. Similar to the Colin Kaepernick Initiative, IPS students will gain an understanding of their civil rights and how to advocate for themselves both inside and outside of the classroom.
"The violence and racism I see targeting our black and brown students can no longer go unanswered," Moore said. "I am committing to making change."
