Education for Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) high school students will look drastically different next year.
During a special meeting on Monday night, the school board of commissioners approved closing four schools, by a 5–2 vote. Commissioners Elizabeth Gore and Venita Moore opposed the recommendation.
Under a plan known as “Reinventing IPS High Schools,” IPS will create efficiency by operating just four high schools — Arsenal Technical, Crispus Attucks, George Washington and Shortridge — a move that will allow IPS to expand curriculum, offer more choices and offer those choices to all students, says Superintendent Lewis Ferebee.
IPS will close and sell John Marshall Middle School and Broad Ripple High School and convert Northwest and Arlington high schools into middle schools, starting in 2018.
“The goal is not to implement this plan and dramatically shift facility utilization,” Ferebee said. “It’s really designed to be an academic plan (to) better support students, their academic experience in high school, ultimately yielding greater success in college and career. Now, we anticipate some savings from the consolidation, but again this is not a facilities plan.”
IPS plans to redirect the savings — estimated at $4 million — back into classrooms.
In addition to the current choice options offered to IPS high school students, the district plans to add six college- and career-themed academies, 45 college and career pathways as well as early and middle college options. By the end of high school, the goal is for students to attend college, join the military or start a career.
“This is really about improving academic performance and giving our students a leg up for college and career, but also includes greater opportunity and access to internships, apprenticeships and the ability for students to earn credentials to go directly to work or school should they choose to do so,” Ferebee said. “Finally, it’s important to note that career academies were developed from an assessment and review of job opportunities, high-wage, high-demand jobs in central Indiana and Indianapolis. So, we’re preparing students in areas that we know there’s a need, and areas that they can be paid well should they earn those credentials.”
While Moore voted against the proposal, she agrees IPS must close schools. However, she took issue with all four schools being in close proximity — within 4 miles of downtown — when the district covers more than 80 square miles.
“We recognize things have to change and we need to do some changing,” Moore said. “I just don’t agree with the way we make decisions to place our schools for our children and for the communities.”
Ferebee acknowledges the schools aren’t spread across the district. Administrators made that decision after listening to concerns from parents about transportation. Ferebee says parents were “adamant” about not wanting long bus rides for their students.
“While there’s not a high school in every neighborhood, the proposal creates a centralized high school system where we can easily get students to and from school, and parents can easily get to and from those schools and (is) also accessible to public transportation.”
Dountonia Batts, spokesperson for the grassroots organization IPS Community Coalition, wasn’t surprised the measure passed. The group wonders why other ideas weren’t recommended first, as closing schools should be a last resort, Batts said.
“No one is advocating that changes don’t need to be made,” Batts said. “We just want thorough, thought out proposals.”
Now that “Reinvent IPS High Schools” is a go, Batts says plenty of questions remain about implementation, and IPS Community Coalition will watch closely.
“We are supportive of IPS students, teachers and families,” Batts said. “We are committed to ensuring that the board is held accountable and the board holds the administration accountable.”
