Addressing Key Misconceptions as the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation Starts Its Work

The Indiana legislature recently passed legislation to establish the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC). This new body will oversee transportation and facilities for both Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and charter schools. It will also work with IPS and charter authorizers to create a common performance  framework for all public schools within IPS boundaries and take on responsibility for new operating and capital referendums.

Any amount of change can bring nerves and anxiety, let alone outright opposition. But amid the divide over these coming changes, a handful of important misunderstandings have found their way into the conversation.

Let’s get on the same page so we can move forward together.

The IPEC does not eliminate or replace the IPS board.

Some people have expressed concern that the IPEC will eliminate or severely weaken the democratically-elected IPS board. The IPS board remains intact, and its members will still be elected to make the most important decisions related to educating students: things like selecting curriculum, staffing and contract decisions, setting academic goals, and holding schools accountable for results. These are what ultimately determine the quality of the student experience in the classroom. Moreover, between now and when the IPEC’s work fully takes effect, school closures in IPS are likely to be necessary. The IPS board will continue to oversee those decisions during this transitional period.

Meanwhile, the IPEC will handle key operational functions for IPS and charter schools, like transportation and facilities, that tend to be a costly, administrative burden for schools and the boards that oversee them. Just as IPEC does not eliminate the IPS board, IPEC does not eliminate local charter school boards. It simply takes on key operational functions to allow IPS and charter school leaders to focus on educating students first and foremost.

IPS’ financial predicament is not the fault of sharing property tax dollars with charter schools.

In fact, that sharing requirement does not begin until 2028, with full implementation achieved in 2031.  Yet IPS is projected to end this school year with a $40 million deficit. This is despite the district’s revenue being up 61% since the 2017-18 school year, largely due to rising property values. There are two reasons for this: 1) more and more of IPS’ revenue is tied up paying down previous debt; and 2) IPS enrollment is down nearly 25% over the past eight years. Thus, this situation is not due to legislation from last year that allows charter schools to receive property tax dollars. Charter school students, and families are not responsible for IPS’ financial troubles.

Moving forward, the IPEC will hold  the responsibility for pursuing  referendums. Without a new operating referendum to replace the one that expires at the end of 2026, IPS’ finances are dire. The good news? IPS and charter schools have a reason to work together to ensure families support a new referendum given it will benefit all public school students in IPS boundaries.

The IPEC is not designed to turn all local public schools into charter schools.

Instead, the IPEC is designed to bring greater stability, improved access, and wider transparency by creating shared transportation and facility plans, as well as a shared performance framework for all public schools within IPS boundaries. Indianapolis families will continue to have access to  quality  traditional public schools as well as quality charter and innovation schools. Under the IPEC, these schools will all be in a position to serve families better.

The IPEC provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our community to come together and work for positive change that benefits all students, no matter the public school they choose to attend.

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