Indianapolis Public Schools still seeking Indy Chamber’s referendum support
The backing of the group could be instrumental in helping the school district pass the tax measure, which leaders say it needs to avoid drastic cuts.
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Teachers walking away from local effort to provide affordable homes
Only one teacher has bought a house in Educators’ Village so far, and close to a dozen have pulled out of the process. This has led some critics to wonder whether the project can live up to its promises.
IPS board votes to ask taxpayers for $315M, rejecting Indy Chamber’s plan
The school board pledged to continue discussions in the next week with the Indy Chamber, which released an alternative proposal last week calling for massive spending cuts and a significantly smaller tax increase.
IPS could reduce potential tax request by half-billion dollars, consultants say
In a plan unveiled Wednesday, the Indy Chamber is proposing sweeping cuts to save Indianapolis Public Schools nearly $500 million over eight years—and drastically slash the amount the district would seek from taxpayers in referendums.
Fast-growing charter network plans high school near closed IPS campus
At the same time Indianapolis Public Schools is closing campuses, a charter network is starting a high school—just blocks from the just-closed John Marshall building on the city’s far-east side.
Facing state scrutiny, Indiana charter school steps back from virtual plan
An Indiana charter school is backing off its unconventional plan to open a statewide virtual school with a farm campus following scrutiny from state officials over its oversight model.
IPS cancels contracts for 26 educators, 46 other staffers
The revelation that about 1 percent of the district’s teaching force will have its contracts canceled comes after weeks of uncertainty over how many teachers might lose their jobs.
Chamber eyes closures, cuts to help IPS manage budget issues
The Indy Chamber said it has “identified dozens of recommendations that add up to hundreds of millions of dollars in potential savings” for Indianapolis Public Schools.
Top adviser to Superintendent Lewis Ferebee leaves Indianapolis Public Schools
Le Boler, who served as chief strategist, was one of several staffers who followed Ferebee from North Carolina when he was hired in 2013.
IPS considers selling downtown headquarters
The building, which sits on a 1.7-acre lot at 120 E. Walnut St., has served as the district's home since 1960.
Purdue upends traditional high school model at Polytechnic High School
All it takes to know that Purdue Polytechnic High School is doing something different is a walk through the campus in the basement of a technology office building in downtown Indianapolis.
IPS rolls out scaled-back tax request to fund building renovations
The proposed request—which comes three months after the school district abruptly withdrew referendums from the May ballot—is the first piece of a new plan to increase school funding.
Virtual school closure to cost 62 workers their jobs
The Hoosier Academy school board voted in September not to renew the charter of its full-time online school after months of scrutiny from the state, dropping enrollment, and poor academic performance.
Race can’t be ignored in takeovers of Gary, Muncie schools, civic leaders say
As lawmakers prepare to extend control over two public school districts, some civic leaders are questioning the disparate treatment of Gary, a majority-black district, and Muncie, a predominantly white one.
Retirement offer from Indianapolis Public Schools taken by 87 teachers
The payments were offered to educators who notified the district by April 20 that they planned to retire. The district emailed teachers this week to tell them the agreement was approved and they would receive the payments.
Indiana education board OKs committee to consider virtual charter school rules
The step comes nearly five months after Gov. Eric Holcomb called for “immediate attention and action” on Indiana’s subpar online charter schools.
Indianapolis Public Schools budget plan could include layoffs, salary freezes
The finance update outlines a plan for cutting nearly $21 million from the cash-strapped district’s $269 million general fund budget for 2018-19.
Indianapolis Public Schools sees upheaval in teaching ranks
The IPS district is seeing some of the effects of high school closings and budget woes on educators. Here’s a look at the latest numbers.
UPDATE: Indianapolis Public Schools’ Lewis Ferebee a finalist to lead Los Angeles schools
Ferebee has made a name for himself nationally by overhauling IPS, converting low-performing schools into “innovation schools” run by outside charter operators but still under the district’s umbrella.
Indiana student scores lag after transfers to charter schools, study shows
A recently released study raises questions about whether charter schools improve academic achievement for students in Indiana more than traditional public schools.