INDIANAPOLIS — A bill proposed at the Indiana Statehouse could disband five school districts across the state.
House Bill 1136, authored by Jake Teshka, argues that school districts with declining enrollments should not receive tax benefits while families send their children to other districts.
It would force public schools to become charter schools if more than 50% of students living in the district attend other schools.
In a statement released to WRTV, Teshka said:
I authored this legislation to ensure school corporations are giving our children the best education possible and to find solutions in districts where the current governance is failing its students. This bill would only apply to school districts where more than half of the students and families living within the district's boundaries are choosing to attend other schools, meaning their property taxes are funding a school system they don’t attend. This is an important conversation to have, and I look forward to hearing from parents, educators, administrators, and other stakeholders on the best path forward to ensure every Hoosier student receives a quality education.
Indiana State Teachers Association president Keith Gambil says, if passed, the bill limits parents' choices in their child's education.
"It appears to strip our communities of governance," Gambil explained. "As you know, our traditional public schools are governed by elected school boards, and those boards come from within the community and are representative of the community. It can also silence our parents who have made the choice to send their child to that traditional public school. We hear so much about choice in Indiana, and this seems to be going the other direction."
For 14 years, Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson worked as an IPS teacher.
She believes legislatures need to be more focused on providing the district with the tools it needs to thrive.
"I think what we have to do is we have to stop selling them these pipe dreams, these other charter school districts, because nine times out of 10, the schools close, and then the kids have to go back to IPS," Johnson said. "(We) need support from the legislators to make sure that IPS has the materials, the funding to help them be successful."
WRTV reached out to Indianapolis Public Schools for a statement. They said the following:
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) strongly opposes House Bill 1136 or any bill this legislative session that threatens local authority and community control of public schools. HB 1136 proposes dissolving five school corporations, including IPS, by converting schools to charter status and eliminating local school boards. This harmful legislation would strip communities of their voice, destabilize our financial foundations, and further jeopardize the education of approximately 42,000 students.
HB 1136, as currently proposed, threatens to cause massive disruption to our public school system, diverting attention and resources away from the vital education and support our students need to succeed. This legislation is not student-focused and fails to reflect the community's input on how they envision their public schools thriving. Instead of fostering growth and innovation, HB 1136 risks dismantling the very foundation that supports student success and community collaboration.
IPS has collaborated with stakeholders in recent years to achieve significant milestones that reflect our dedication to student success, staff stability, and innovative educational opportunities. These accomplishments underscore our commitment to thoughtful collaboration and partnership. IPS now proudly partners with 30 innovation schools, many of which provide additional choices and programming for our families.
Over the past decade, our graduation rates have surged to an impressive 87%, compared to just 60% a little over ten years ago. This achievement is a testament to the unwavering commitment and support of our entire community. This includes our wonderful educators and staff, whose retention has remained steady at 89% over the past three years. IPS remains dedicated to building a system that reflects the complexity and diversity of our district. Our publicly elected governance team, in alignment with Dr. Aleesia Johnson and the IPS administrative team remain flexibly open and responsive to the dynamic needs of our entire community; inclusive of students, families, educators and staff; as well as those policymakers and stakeholders truly invested in the continued improvement and strengthening of Indianapolis Public Schools.
State legislators must partner with IPS and our community to thoughtfully shape the future of education in Indianapolis. Imposing solutions without local input undermines the progress and years of collaboration that have propelled our city forward. Urban education systems face complex, nuanced challenges that may be unfamiliar to some policymakers. We invite legislators who are genuinely invested in public education to visit our district, gain firsthand insight into our unique mission and vision, and work alongside us to ensure sustainable and meaningful outcomes for students, educators, and families.
