Indianapolis School Reform Plan Approved
INDIANAPOLIS — A city education group has approved a set of proposals that could change how Indianapolis schools operate.
The nine-member alliance, which includes Mayor Joe Hogsett, IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, and City-County Councilor Maggie Lewis, voted 8–1 Wednesday night to send its recommendations to the Indiana General Assembly.
The group formed after a new state law asked local leaders to fix school buses, governance, and efficiency. The plan would end the one-dollar sale of IPS buildings, create a shared bus system, limit new charters, and make all schools serve higher-need students.
Superintendent Johnson told the alliance the recommendations reflect difficult tradeoffs. “This is an imperfect solution for a challenging set of realities. “The reality is that we have too many schools within our boundary, which strains resources and creates uneven access to opportunities,” she said.
She also pointed to funding gaps for vulnerable students, saying IPS spends about $24 million more each year than it receives to provide required services. “We are inadequately funded to offer the full spectrum of services for our most vulnerable students,” Johnson said.
Johnson talked about low proficiency rates across Marion County schools, adding, “Only 21% of students across all Marion County schools — public, charter, innovation and private — demonstrated proficiency in both English language arts and math. We know that test scores are not the whole story, but they show that immense work needs to be done.”
She also raised concerns about proposals that could weaken the elected school board’s authority. “My biggest concern lies in the decision-making oversight of our current elected board that will now be in doubt to a new body,” Johnson said. “But if we continue with the same oversight we have today and none of the other recommendations, the challenges of incoherence and thinning resources will remain.”
Despite those concerns, Johnson said she supports sending the recommendations to lawmakers. “With deep reservation regarding the shift in decision-making authority, but a belief in the remaining recommendations, I will support moving all of these recommendations to the Statehouse for further conversation and engagement,” she said.
Supporters, including Stand for Children Indiana and The Mind Trust, praised the vote, saying the plan could streamline services and improve accountability. Opponents, including the Democratic Socialists of America, protested outside the meeting, arguing the proposals take power away from the elected IPS board and could hurt schools in lower-income neighborhoods.
The recommendations now head to the Indiana General Assembly, which would need to approve them before they take effect.
