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Indianapolis Star
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
This group will guide IPS's future. Hogsett asked lawmakers to make its meetings private
A new group created by Indiana lawmakers will guide the future of Indianapolis Public Schools and local public charter schools — including as it relates to future school building consolidation and revenue-sharing — but members of the general public may not be included in its meetings. Lawmakers in a late-night move last week shortly before the legislature adjourned for the year exempted the new Indianapolis Local Education Alliance from Indiana's Open Door Law, which ordinarily gives the public the right to attend meetings of governing bodies of public agencies. The move to restrict the public's right to attend future meetings of the local education group was done without public testimony. The change was requested by the city's highest-ranking public official, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, said Rep. Bob Behning. "The mayor did ask for some additional language regarding the Open Door Law," Behning, R-Indianapolis, told the House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee late Thursday evening. "We went ahead and clarified at the request of the mayor that it would be not subject ... so they could have an open public meeting if they choose to, but they don't have to." The final version of House Bill 1515, where the language was included, was approved by the House by a 62-30 vote and by the Senate by a 28-22 vote. It's awaiting Gov. Mike Braun's signature. The group's work could have big consequences for the future of how Indianapolis Public Schools and local charter schools are run. It will conduct school facility assessments for all traditional and charter school facilities within the geographic boundaries of IPS. It will make recommendations regarding school facility "structural changes," as well as come up with a process to approve or deny future capital referendum requests. The group will also come up with a template for revenue-sharing agreements between IPS and charter schools. The group's membership is spelled out in the legislation. It will consist of nine members, several of whom will be appointed by the mayor. It will also include IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson and Hogsett himself, or his designee. There will be two parent representatives. It must complete its work by Dec. 31. During that time, there will be a pause on charter schools opening within the IPS district boundaries, except for those approved by the Indianapolis Charter School Board, which is run mostly by mayoral appointees. State Sen. Brian Buchanan, R-Lebanon, said the purpose of the group is to "figure out how (schools) can combine resources and work together further." 'Allergic to the public' The legislation states that although the alliance isn't subject to the public access law, one meeting must be open to the public: the final meeting at which the members vote on the adoption of the facilities and transportation plan. Critics said that's too late for meaningful public testimony. Jesse Brown, a Democrat on the Indianapolis City-County Council and frequent critic of Hogsett's, posted on social media that public officials will "deliberate behind the scenes" instead of in front of constituents. He said Hogsett's administration was "allergic to the public." And IPS' teachers' union, the Indianapolis Education Association, posted on social media: "Who are you hiding from?" However, Hogsett spokeswoman Emily Kaufmann said in a statement that the city and IPS are "aligned on and committed to creating an efficient, transparent structure to carry out the critical work" of the alliance. "As the alliance conducts this work, there will be opportunities for community input and public meetings," Kaufmann said.
Axios
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Lawmakers urge IPS, charter school collaboration on facilities and transportation
A new legislative proposal wouldn't force Indianapolis Public Schools and the charter schools continually cropping up throughout the district to merge facilities or transportation services — but it would look at how it could be done. The big picture: State lawmakers introduced several proposals targeting IPS this year, seemingly aimed at forcing the district to share more resources with charter schools. Bills to dissolve the district and take control of its facilities and transportation services haven't moved forward, though lawmakers are still contemplating changes to Indiana's property tax system that would affect schools statewide. Driving the news: The creation of an "Indianapolis Local Education Alliance" was introduced Wednesday morning in the House Education Committee as an amendment to Senate Bill 373, which deals with several unrelated education issues. The alliance would be a nine-person board tasked with conducting a facilities assessment for all public school buildings within IPS boundaries. It would also develop a plan for how to manage all facilities within those boundaries — those belonging to both IPS and charter schools — under a new governing body and provide transportation to them. State of play: Education committee chair Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, authored the amendment, which also included language from a bill Behning authored but didn't move earlier in the session. In addition to the IPS proposal, Behning's amendment creates centralized facilities and transportation pilot programs that school districts and charter schools may apply to participate in, looking for unique ways to find efficiencies together. Behning said the alliance idea came from IPS board members. Yes, but: At least two IPS board members, Gayle Cosby and Allissa Impink, oppose the alliance as written. "The original spirit of the concept was to provide technical expertise and shared planning to inform the district's work, not to circumvent it," Impink told the committee. Behning told Axios the only concerns he's heard have been about the makeup of the board and who gets to appoint people to it — including the governor, who currently gets three appointees. He said he's open to discussion about that. Context: The legislation aimed at IPS stems from a larger, yearslong discussion about charter school funding in the state. The charter school sector argues that it should be funded the same way as traditional public schools and given an equal share of local property tax dollars. IPS has grappled with how much money to share from the property tax referendums while some charters struggled to provide services like transportation. Currently, the district shares with charter schools it has formal partnerships with but not all within its boundaries. Between the lines: It's likely that lawmakers will force school districts to share some property tax dollars with charter schools. Behning told Axios it's possible that the tax sharing proposal, Senate Bill 518, will get amended into Senate Bill 1, the larger property tax overhaul proposal, but that it's likely that IPS (and all schools) will have to adjust to this new world. "If that is the world," Behning said, "what's the best way to share those assets?" What he's saying: Behning said his vision for the alliance's plan would be something akin to the county's capital improvement board, which would hold and manage all of the area's public school building and transportation infrastructure. "I'm trying to say, 'Think big,'" he said. The intrigue: Though not unheard of, it is late in the legislative session to introduce a brand new concept. Some opposed to the alliance questioned the timing, particularly with the opportunity for public testimony occurring during IPS spring break. What's next: The House Education Committee is expected to take a vote on the amendment and bill next week.
Axios
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Indiana Statehouse: Letter grades and partisan school boards on agenda
There are six weeks left in the legislative session and just three weeks to get bills passed out of committee. Why it matters: It's getting close to crunch time, when lawmakers start compromising on, cutting or killing each other's bills. Yes, and: The budget, property tax relief and health care costs — all priority issues heading into session — are hitting snags that likely won't get worked out this week. Here's what we're watching instead: 🟢 Partisan school boards nearing finish line Should it pass the House, which could vote as early as Monday, Senate Bill 287 will have passed both chambers — a first for a bill to make Indiana's school board elections partisan. Yes, but: The version passed by the Senate is substantially different from what the House is considering, so there's no guarantee lawmakers will come to an agreement. The Senate would have school board candidates follow the same nomination process as any other political candidate, while the House version skips primaries and still provides a nonpartisan option. What's next: If the House passes SB 287, the Senate could accept the new version or go to a conference committee and work out a compromise. 🟢 A-F grades coming back Schools could soon get graded again if House Bill 1498 passes the Senate. It's up for floor amendments as early as today, which means it could get a final vote in that chamber later this week. How it works: The bill would have the State Board of Education remake Indiana's school accountability system for what feels like the umpteenth time. It would go back to an A-to-F system, but taking into account more than just test scores. The state currently uses an "accountability dashboard" that displays various performance metrics. The bill instructs the board to include "other factors" it considers relevant, which would likely include chronic absenteeism rates and third-grade reading proficiency. ⏳ Rethinking religious education time Senate Bill 255 would allow high school students to miss more classroom time to attend religious instruction during the school day. Flashback: Last year, lawmakers passed legislation requiring schools to permit students to leave school for two hours each week for religious instruction. Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, said that equates to kids missing class 2.5 days a week. "That's not good for the schools, the students, that's not good for anybody," he said. The latest: SB 255 would give high school students more time, essentially letting them replace one elective course with religious instruction provided outside their school — rather than missing half a class each week. Yes, but: Rep. Bob Behning, chair of the House Education Committee, did not hold a vote on the bill last week saying the committee needed more time to understand it. An agenda for this week's education committee hasn't been released yet. 🚬 Cigarette tax on the table House Bill 1001 is still sitting with the Senate Appropriations Committee, which took public testimony on the state's two-year spending plan last week. Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, told reporters his caucus is more open this year to raising the cigarette tax than it has been in the past. What he's saying:"Perhaps that's partly because there's some challenges that we have," Bray said. "It's going to be a challenging budget year in the best of circumstances, even assuming that the April forecast doesn't get worse and that's not guaranteed because it looks like it could be problematic."
