Well, good afternoon.

I'd like to call our meeting to order.

Thank you for being here.

Today we are holding the seventh meeting of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance.

Today's meeting was added to our schedule so that we could offer additional time for community input and begin to winnow down the options before us.

Scheduling among so many of us was a challenge.

And so I do apologize that the time of today's meeting is inconvenient for some.

In fact, one member of the alliance has asked to be excused for at least a little bit of time.

Tina Algren, who's been a wonderful member of the Alliance, will be coming as soon as she is free.

But I want to assure you we will continue even after today to make time for public input.

And this will come by way of two or three upcoming listening sessions, as well as any online comments that you would like the alliance to consider, which you'll hear more about today.

Indeed, the full ILEA has met each month in public sessions, where we have received hours of public comment, the result of nearly 300 such signups since this effort began.

And in addition, about 450 written comments have been submitted online or through email.

Every full ILEA meeting has been recorded and it has been posted online along with the written public comments and the meeting materials.

The majority of our meetings have been streamed live, and I want to thank each ILEA member here today for their careful consideration so far and going forward of the many ideas, questions, concerns, and commendations that have been put forward by our neighbors.

And especially a thank you to the public who has joined us every month.

And thanks for making your voices heard.

That could be that could not be more important as we prepare to meet the rapidly approaching December 31 deadline set before us by the Indiana General Assembly.

I am confident that we will meet that charge, and our recommendations will hopefully set the stage for many more critical conversations about the future of education in our city and in the Indianapolis public schools particularly.

But to get today, again, no final decisions will be made.

As you will hear, we'll seek only to once again further clarify and narrow our focus.

We will begin with one additional hour of public comment on the models that were put out for discussion last month.

We will then proceed to identify a couple of models in each area, transportation, facilities, and governance to move ahead for our consideration after tonight.

It is important to note this will be an iterative process as we learn during both our recent and upcoming listening sessions and from each other.

We will adapt the remaining models to reflect what this alliance believes will make up the best recommendations that we can present to the Indiana General Assembly for its consideration.

So with those opening remarks and comments, let's move right into the public comment period.

Shayna.

Hi everyone.

As in prior meetings, we are following the public comment procedure shared on our website.

Based on the sign-ups for today, each speaker will have one minute to speak.

When your name is called and the timer begins, it will be on the screen.

Please proceed until it finishes.

Please keep your comments centered on the work before the ILEA.

And note that alliance members will not answer questions or otherwise respond to comments.

Comments should address the alliance as a whole, not individual members or staff.

Disruptive or offensive comments or similar behavior may result in a five minute recess, and if it continues adjournment of the meeting, though we don't expect that that will happen.

Comments submitted online prior to today's meeting and emails directed to the alliance were shared with alliance members and will be posted online in the days to come.

And if there's anyone who had additional comments today that they were not able to fit into the minute time limit, they are also welcome to submit those to ILEA at Indie.gov.

And if there is anyone who we are unable to get to tonight, I would encourage them to also submit those comments to ILEA at Indie.gov.

Um we thank everyone so far who has shared their thoughts with us.

Um to begin, we will hear from and I would just ask that you kind of line up in front of the podium, please.

Um, Arian Clanton, Tanika Patton, and Sasha Fletcher.

Uh good evening.

Uh, thank you all for the opportunity to speak.

Um, the reality is our our families' needs are very simple.

They want their child to feel safe, they want their child to feel supported, they want their child to be able to learn.

Um, the last thing that they're trying to figure out is who operates or what office or what um system manages transportation.

Um, the focus should be on whether or not um their child can get to school safe, whether their child arrives on time, um, and also uh arrives to a school that best fits them.

Um, Indianapolis, as we know, serves many different systems, whether it's charter, IPS, township, etc.

But ultimately, our families choose these schools because it is what best fits their children.

When we remove transportation, we will move the choice for them to be able to find a school that best fits their child's needs.

A single independent authority for transportation and facilities will keep attention on students instead of systems.

It would provide clear oversight and align resources so every student gets a predictable path to school.

It's not about whether this would be too hard to figure out, it's just simply figuring it out.

You have a chance to help build a future future where access to school does not depend on the type of school a child attends.

Your vote today shouldn't be about which option is easiest.

Your vote today should be about which will move forward with us 10 to 20 years from now.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Sasha Fletcher.

Tanika is not here right now.

Um, a topic I'd like to talk about today is modern transportation system.

It keeps pace with how low how families choose schools.

Today, Indianapolis families choose across district lines.

A modern unified transportation system should reflect the reality of how students move through our city, one that is independent and unbiased.

Truth is, even with the best intentions, we can play favorites.

When we talk about sharing assets specific to school transportation, I believe the best path is a trans is a transportation and authority that is not housed in any school system.

For many parents, the bus is the bridge between home and opportunity.

When routes work, families breathe easier, they don't.

When they don't, sorry, daily life becomes harder.

Families rely on transportation as a lifeline.

Let us commit to a system that gives every child a steady path to school and gives every family the peace of mind they deserve.

The way to do that is through a transportation body that is separate from IPS and separate from the mayor's office.

Thank you.

Next will be Kaive Long, Claire Pope, and Brianna Dives.

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am.

That's please go ahead.

Good evening.

Um, I want to say that we need to focus on students and what's important.

I've been an educator in the city for over 30 years, and one of the biggest threats to parents and students are barriers that are beyond their control.

We focus on removing barriers that hinder children, then we'll all win.

Let's not lose focus.

Let's launch a new transportation authority that benefits all children as and is independent.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

So next will be Kai Wong, Claire Pope, and Brianna Dines.

Claire Pope.

Good afternoon.

I'd like to speak about the current system is doing the best that it can, but it still faces limits.

IPS works hard, and so do charter operators.

But each system is consistents, including public schools without school transportation.

Transportation challenges are bigger than any single district or office can solve alone.

The current system is doing the best and still faces limits.

This is why I support a model where the independent authority oversees transportation and facilities for all students.

I believe that the arrangements that need to be made need to make sure that all students win.

Uh all for the benefit of the learning experience.

Thank you.

And then I just in case that wasn't clear, I'm sorry.

We heard from Tanika Patton and then just now Claire Pope.

Um, if Brianna is not here, we'll move ahead with Tommy Redicks, Angela Lee, and Mary Erling.

Is that me next?

Just one second.

I'm Tommy Reddick, CEO of Paramount Schools.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

The ILEA was created with a clear purpose stabilize oversight, improve transparency, and remove barriers.

It wasn't intended to impose new mandates on charter schools.

In fact, the original legislation emphasized protecting charter autonomy in relation to performance.

Yet the current proposals do the opposite.

Eliminating independent authorizers concentrates authority in ways that increase political risk.

A ban on charter expansion denies families access to proven models, removing the dollar law restores facility barriers, the legislature dismantled.

And requiring districts or agents to control charter transportation in any mandated form strips operational independence.

Mandates that limit charter autonomy violate the very reason the ILEA was created, reversing rather than advancing the agency's mission.

I hope you'll consider aligning current ideas with the original intent for charters.

Thank you.

Okay.

Hi.

Hi, I'm Angela Lee, and I am a Marin County voter and a parent of two IPS students.

I'm here to encourage you all to recommend that our school board remains fully elected and democratic.

That this meeting is during school drop-offs, communicates that this commission is not interested in the voices of the people who are most affected by the decisions that you will be making.

That is, teachers, parents, and students.

I urge you that you take no votes today so the ILEA can read and hear the public comments made.

It does not make sense to have any members of our school board be selected by a mayor who represents the entirety of the city of Indianapolis.

The mayor is elected not just by people who live in the IPS boundary, but also by people whose children are served by ten other school districts in Indianapolis.

By keeping all of our IPS boundary schools public and charter managed by a board elected only by the people who live in the IPS district, we can keep our schools fully responsive to the needs of our immediate community and not by someone who is distracted by the needs of other people who are not affected by our circumstances.

Next we'll hear from Pastor David Bacon, Britt Borum, and Courtney Hawk.

Yeah, just say your name so we can keep up with us here.

Thank you.

My name is Britt Borham, member of the IPS Parent Council and parent from Butler Lab 55.

Our school is a great example of partnering a private university with a district-run elementary where innovation thrives, transportation is better than ever, building upgrades are underway and on time, and all while maintaining accountability to the public.

Well, I appreciate being able to comment on ILEA models today.

This meeting is on a weekday during school pickup when most IPS parents and staff cannot voice voices cannot be heard.

Parents are frustrated and demand you suspend voting today, given that public comment was suppressed and the information was insufficient about voting taking place today.

Ask the mayor how many people contacted his office with the same sentiment.

So I'm speaking for the IPS community can't be here.

We believe decisions about our schools should be driven by parents and educators, but instead the legislator forced this half-picked district review on us because of a problem they created complex unaccountable charters.

In contrast, the Democrat democratically elected IPS board has been consistently accountable, responsive, and transparent when changes are proposed.

That's what we voted for rebuilding stronger and why we trust our school board to make good decisions with our tax dollars.

On Monday, I protested mid-cycle redistricting that seeks to take away elected representation.

And I can't believe that I'm here today talking to you about taking away our elected representation of our school board.

Good afternoon.

My name is Courtney Hawk, and I'm the proud parent of a third grader at Charity Dyes School 27.

The proposed models were put forth on 1119.

The ILEA has been working on defining and refining these models for months, yet we had less than two weeks to submit that feedback.

That is just another example of performative feedback gathering, and it's actually insulting to all of us who are invested in our public school district who have spent hours crafting thoughtful alternatives with our communities.

I implore the ILEA to commit to delaying the implementation of any model, including appointments of governing or oversight bodies to after the next mayoral election.

There is absolutely no reason to be confident in the ability of our current mayor and the administration, including the majority of the city county council to remain impartial, to act ethically and morally with the best interests of students in mind, and to resist any urge to trade contracts or campaign contributions when the facts of the past seven years tell us otherwise.

The lack of transparency does not inspire confidence in any option that does not include appointed school board members.

Next, we will hear from Monica Schellheimer, Megan Heis, and Adrea McLeod.

That's Monica Shellhamer, Megan Heis, and Adrea McLeod.

Hi, I'm Monica Shellhammer.

I am a third grade educator at Christian Park 82 in IPS, and I am one of the vice presidents of the Indianapolis Education Association representing our certified educators.

I stand before you today because I want you to really think about the problems that we had before we even started this.

What was the issues that we were supposed to be fixing?

And are we creating new ones?

Because currently it seems like we're just creating more problems instead of fixing the ones that currently exist.

We want to see our elected school board stay the same.

They are the ones who are responsible and also answering to the community.

We have that ability to come in and to be able to provide our voices as community members, educators, even our students are coming in to provide testimony to our current elected school board.

Our elected school boards must stay in whatever model that you propose.

Thank you.

Good evening, Megan Heiss, IPS Parent Council.

More than a thousand IPS parents and caregivers signed a community letter in just a few days, no less, before your last meeting, calling for common sense steps to strengthen our schools and preserve accountability in our district.

That should matter in this room.

At the center of that accountability is our fully elected IPS school board.

That board is chosen by the community, answers to the community, and must remain the governing authority for our schools.

That democratic oversight is not optional.

It is the foundation of public education.

We are asking this body to pause, keep all options open, and continue listening before advancing recommendations that could lead to devastating and permanent consequences for our district.

Families deserve decisions made with us, not around us.

Please protect democratic governance and the stability that our students need.

Hands off our elected school board.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Adria McCloud, and I am an IPS parent, educator, and the co-chair for the Central Indiana DSA's fully funded fully public committee.

I'm writing today to urge you to consider the people's proposal.

A governance structure that actually provides stability, accountability, equity, and collaboration for IPS schools and Indianapolis charter schools to move forward together.

I've emailed this proposal to all of you in full detail, but I will highlight just a few points.

We need to give families a voice and a choice while ensuring stability and accountability.

Unify all of our schools under one fully democratically elected board that represents all of us.

The IPS board was elected for a reason as the state legislature is already stripping the voices of Marion County voters and rigging our future elections.

As the state legislature is already stripping the voices of Marion County voters and rigging our future elections, we cannot lose our board too.

There is no logical reason to allow an unlimited amount of charter schools to open whenever they please while we are calling for IPS to close schools and write size.

If IPS needs to write size, we all need to write size.

We need one charter authorizer to allow for true accountability.

This plan allows for true collaboration and equity for all students.

I urge you to consider the people's proposal and put all of our students first.

Next, we will hear from Anderson York, Alyssa M.

Pink, and Will Pritchard.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Alyssa M.

Pink.

Um I am a parent of three students within the IPS school district.

I also serve as uh the school board IPS commissioner for district four.

As elected officials, we are responsible for representing the people who elected us.

Our decisions must reflect their voices and their priorities.

Over the past several weeks, we hosted conversations with hundreds of families, and we heard them clearly.

IPS must remain a public community governed school district.

The the papers I have in front of me are all of the written feedback that all of families and those who participated gave to us, and we read through, I read through all of it.

As external and external facilities and transportation authority is not a neutral tool.

It would separate decisions about our public assets from the subject matter experts who are currently proximate to the work.

The community, the voters who invest.

Our goal is access and sustainability.

And I'll end very quickly, I promise.

Efficient services for every student inside IPS boundaries.

And the right answer is to resource the work that IPS is already doing.

We should be honest about the challenges, yes, but stripping away local democratic governance is not the answer.

Strengthening IPS, not weakening our community's voice, is how we build a sustainable future for every student that we serve.

Creating a facilities or transportation authority would remove decision making from the voters who paid for these public assets.

Thank you.

If we want efficiency, stability, and trust, the solution is to resource the work that IPS is already doing at scale.

Now we give the democratic governance over our public schools.

IPS is strong, and Indianapolis is stronger when we protect and invest in our public schools.

Not only uh hand buildings, buses, and governance to an unelected authority with no accountability to the to the families.

That is thank you.

Oh, sorry.

No problem.

Hi, everyone.

Will Pritchard, uh, longtime IPS volunteer and nine-year IPS parent.

Uh so thank you for this opportunity.

Sorry, I'm a little bit repetitive uh to what's been already said, but I wanted to advocate for two things.

The first one is it doesn't make any first one is that uh the board remain elected by the citizens.

It doesn't make any sense for the mayor to appoint a board after he's been elected by the entire city.

Only a fraction of the city would actually be served by the mayor's appointments.

This would be the equivalent of, and I know we would never imagine this, but the center township board being appointed by the mayor or partially appointed by the mayor.

We would never consider that.

We would always ensure that the center township board was elected or any of the township boards were elected.

So uh I urge you to maintain that the board be elected and not appointed by the mayor.

My second comment is related to transportation.

I urge that you require all schools to provide transportation.

The district over the last several years has been very successful about ensuring equal access to different programs in all the schools.

I know a lot of charter school leaders also prioritize uh equal access in schools, so but none of that equal access means anything if kids can get to schools.

So we need to be make sure that we're providing equity on the transportation side too.

So I urge you to provide mandate transportation in all schools.

Thank you again, start over.

Next will be Harper Meyer, Christina Smith, and Anguin.

Sorry, is Harper here?

My name is My name is Harper, and I'm in the fourth grade at Meredith Nicholson Elementary School.

IPS is important to me because we make sure everyone has food who doesn't have food at home, and we take care of my friends, families who could be deported.

Our teachers are great, and my mom is a teacher at my school too.

I love my school because I get to I get to be in rock band club, choir cheerleading, ninja club ice skating club, and have lots of opportunities.

I never had at my old school.

I want to stand up for IPS like my mom because every student deserves to have a school like mine.

We should make sure all schools are fully funded and fully public.

So we all have the chance to go in there.

Thank you.

I'm here to advocate for unify and fully elect the school board that is responsible for transportation, facility governance, academics, and chatter authorization across the district.

A fully elected board is the only structure that ensures transparency, accountability, and efficient use of public resources.

This should go together with the removal of the $1 view.

Um dollar law.

I'm also calling for a transition period during which there is a moratorium or new school and chattel can gradually shift from their current authorizer through the board.

Um might think that an elected board might favor district school over Chadow, but this is not true.

In March, the Board resident has said that all students within the district, regardless of school type deserve a voice.

Several board members have received campaign support and endorsement from groups such as Stanford Children and Rice Indy.

Some have looked at Chad of School.

Chadow family have already attend and speak at more meetings regularly.

Thus, a unify and fully elect the school ball is the most fair, logical, accountable, and community focused solution.

Thank you.

Next will be um Brian Dwart Duarte, Wendy Hornsby, and Elad Nichols Kaufman.

All of the governance models presented are problematic because they include features that further constrain parents' voices.

Governance Model One, however, may be the most promising only if it unifies all public schools under a fully elected school board.

This would eliminate competition for resources and enable parents of IPS and charter schools to vote for the body that makes decisions about transportation and facilities.

I also recommend that the ILEA consider eliminating the mayor's Office of Education Innovation because charter schools are not an innovation.

They date back to 1991, and for the past 23 years in our city have not produced any confirmatory evidence that they have improved our public schools.

Furthermore, why should the mayor have any control over just one of the 11 school districts in the city?

The one that also happens to be the most diverse.

Good afternoon.

My name is Wendy Hornsby, a long time involved IPS by choice, parent.

Our family chooses IPS because of its innovative programs and deeply committed educators.

A choice that has always existed despite what others claim.

All of our schools deserve leadership directly accountable to the families and communities they serve, not additional layers of bureaucracy, obscure decision making, or political influence.

I'm here to strongly oppose any governance model that includes appointed school board members.

Removing control of operations, facilities, or transportation from IPS undermines needed consistency, safety, and quality for students.

It all pro also perpetuates a troubling message that IPS taxpayers are somehow unqualified to elect their own representatives.

IPS must must remain democratically elective, fully funded, and fully public, like every other township in Marion County and statewide.

I urge the ILEA to include the people's proposal for consideration, a community-driven support option supported by over a thousand IPS families.

It represents true collaboration between families, educators, the community at large, and the district.

Hello.

Hello, my name's Elad Nichols Kaufman, and I am a recent alumnus and brother of current IPS students.

I've been struck by the fact that many of the arguments in opposing an elected IPS board mirror the classical arguments against democracy.

Mr.

Neal has said that an appointed board member appointed members would have an opportunity to represent communities that don't vote if the appointees are done well, a saying that a single person can better choose for all citizens than a majority of the voters.

As a Democrat in Indiana, I understand the fear of a tyranny of the majority, but I cannot agree with the idea that a shift to an appointed body is the solution.

Local democratic institutions like IPS's board remain our best choice for governance.

When I was an IPS student advocating for schools, I saw how every single student, parent, and teacher had a voice because they were talking to an elected board.

This builds buy-in trust and a social spirit of democracy that lasts longer than any single board member appointed or elected.

Tocqueville wrote that local institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science.

They put it within people's reach.

They teach people to appreciate its peaceful enjoyment and accustom them to make use of it.

This choice we have here is a choice whether to let this spirit of democracy cont uh that of local democracy that builds the foundation for all democracy continue.

And I hope you choose to recommend an elected IPS which controls all its elected functions functions from transportation to facilities.

Thank you.

Next will be Addison Hunley, Janet McNeil, and Chris Boltman.

Thank you, members of the board and Superintendent Johnson.

My name is Addison, and I've been a student in IPS since preschool.

I've had a world-class education that has included Montessori, international baccalaureate, learning to manage to management, dance education, and being challenged to make the world the better place, all while being in traditional IPS schools.

My hope is that whatever plan is chosen, sustainable and generational change at the center of that decision.

The decisions made here in the next month aren't going to affect me because I'll be graduated, but I want to ensure the decisions positively affect my younger sister, the kids of the neighborhood babysit for and my future children to give them the opportunity to experience the IPS I've grown up with in love.

I want to ensure that all students in Indianapolis have access to equitable transportation.

The IPS is already running.

That has been a vital part for my friends and I to have safe, easy transportation to and from school.

In high school, the after-school activity buses allowed for us to stay after for practices, athletic games, clubs, and programming, all the things that allow school to become a community.

So much of my learning happens outside the classroom.

I'm able to participate in cross-country tracks, pseudo government, HOSA, National Honor Society, Shine Prague, and more.

And whatever plan you make, ensure that after school activity buses are considered to make these opportunities accessible for all students in Indianapolis, no matter the school.

Thank you.

Hi, my name's Chris Bullman.

I'm the regional director of external affairs for Indiana Math and Science Academy Schools here in Indianapolis.

I must say is a high quality, STEM-focused college preparatory uh institution.

It's a public charter school that has two campuses, soon to be three, with the opening of IMSA Central and Hallville and Fall of 26.

We have 1,300 talented and diverse scholars.

Transportation remains a challenge for our families.

Models that the ILEA recommends should focus on the following items.

Create a shared transportation and facilities system.

Protect family choice and school quality by continuing to allow multiple authorizers, no moratorium on new charter schools, and create a common accountability system for all public schools.

Thank you.

Next will be Hannah Marley, Evelyn Hicks, and Josiah Harris Adam.

Hi, my name is Hannah Marley, and I teach English as a new language at Crispus Addicts High School.

First of all, I want to emphasize that we demand a fully democratic elected school board, a moratorium on new charters and IPS boundaries, the expansion of collective bargaining rights for teachers, and a promise that IPS resources will remain under the control of the elected board.

Earlier this week, I was challenged by a proponent of charter schools to imagine a future where we could truly work together.

And after much consideration, the conclusion I came to was this.

I need a gesture of good faith.

In this incredibly long, drawn out fight over the future of public education.

We public school teachers and advocates have been repeatedly asked to collaborate as the very people asking us to come together and advocate advocated for legislation that is causing harm to my school, my district, myself as an educator, and my students arguing for a greater slice of our ever shrinking pie.

What I need is evidence that the other side of the aisle can advocate for a future that centers instead of diminishes us for a future where IPS is a school environment defined by abundance, not stripped for parts to be handed to private charters run by billionaires.

This option, and the most stable option for the existing schools and IPS boundaries is option one.

However, I would challenge you to consider that there is an option that includes both a voice and a choice.

It is called the People's Proposal, and it preserves democratic representation while allowing for school choice and flexibility desired by parents.

I need you to show me that you are willing to embrace the future where a fully funded democratic abundant IPS is the stable center of public education in Indianapolis.

Good evening.

My name is Evelyn Hicks.

I am a lifelong educator who has worked in IPS and charter schools throughout my career.

I believe all children, all students should have access to transportation run by an independent entity.

Parents shouldn't have to worry about how their children get to school.

There should be reliable transportation available for all students, regardless of what type of school they attend.

I encourage all of you to develop a completely new transportation system that is led by people who live and bring trans who live and breathe transportation and logistics.

Thank you.

Hello, uh, my name is Josiah Harris Adam.

I am an Indianapolis resident, an IPS parent and a former educator.

The models presented by the ILEA highlight two criteria cost and flexibility, not quality, accountability, or simplicity.

We already have an elected school board, representative of all the people in the district, whether they have IPS students, charter students, or no children at all.

Keep the elected board, let them do their job and administer the district.

Centralize infrastructure and transportation under the auspices of the IPS staff who already have the experience and expertise to manage them.

Centralized charter granting authority under that elected board, where people have a direct line of accountability.

If charters have concerns about answering to the IPS board, they can campaign to elect members to that board favorable to their views, which, based on the campaign donations and electioneering materials they already have.

None of the models presented even attempt to answer how they would improve the delivery of services to our students, and instead add layers of complexity to an already convoluted system.

The DSA of Central Indianapolis of Indiana has offered a supplementary proposal of their own.

Please re recommend that to the General Assembly and let our school board get on with the business of managing our schools.

Thank you.

Next will be Guthrie Bayer, Romel Cervantes, and Corbin Havener My name is Cuthrit Bayer.

I am an IPS graduate.

Um and I came here to say uh to support an elected uh IPS school board and not to dilute it uh with appointees.

Um I believe very strongly that public money and uh facilities and services paid for with public money uh should be spent by public institutions.

And in my view, the only thing that would constitute um, you know, a public information uh public body uh capable of using the power of the purse is an elected body.

Um and I would say, of course, to all the charter school advocates as others have said, IPS is your school board as well because anyone who lives in the district boundary can vote for the IPS school board.

Uh so you would have input into the decision making of the IPS school board.

Thank you.

Okay, we will move on then.

Okay.

Hello.

Um Corbin Havener.

Um I'm here to speak on my experience of the um Martindale Brightwood neighborhood um IPS students have had the privilege of working with, and that my interactions with IPS transportation is that it has been efficient and effective.

This is because of the four enrollment zones that I believe are established by Rebuilding Stronger.

The referendum that was voted on by the public.

And I will say, because of that, it was able to work with different curriculum types in schools that has utilized the zones and provided effective transportation.

IPS has the expertise to deliver effective transportation to all students of all school types in district boundaries.

And no independent authority has the insight of the zones established and elected by our members of the public.

Thank you.

Next will be Shocklin Lacey, Kim Reyer, and Michelle Pleasant.

Hello.

I'm a parent of the carpool line.

For many families, the bus is a bridge between home and opportunities.

When routes work, families can breathe easier.

When they don't work, life becomes harder.

Families rely on transportation as a lifeline.

Let us commit to a system that every that gives every child a safe, steady path to school and give every family a peace of mind.

They deserve.

Thank you.

Next will be Adriana Zelkovich.

Harper Meyer.

And Jack Killen.

Sorry, not uh Harper already spoke.

So Adriana, Jack Killen, and Letitia Gray.

Hi, my name is Jack Killen.

I am a social worker at IPS.

Um I'd love to know in the crowd how many of you had to change your plans today in order to attend this meeting.

How many of you had child care or maybe schooling that conflicted with this meeting?

Interesting.

Why is this meeting at 4 o'clock?

Why is it at 4 o'clock?

I know you're not allowed to answer this at this moment, but I need an answer.

The public needs an answer.

The parents of IPS need an answer.

The teachers and administrators of IPS need an answer.

By making this meeting 4 o'clock, you are showing your cards.

It is it is the peak of disgusting that an unelected group who seeks to potentially take our democratically elected school board away from us.

That is it's it's horrendous, and you owe us an explanation.

Good evening once again.

Adriana uh sent some remarks that I'm gonna try to read.

Good afternoon.

I originally signed up to speak at the meeting, but received a notification that only six sixty seconds would be allotted as a mother of three of three who would have to bring a sick eighth-month old along to make public comment in person.

I had to make a difficult decision to submit written comment instead.

As an IPS parent, resident of Indianapolis and a member of the professional community, I am disheartened, disappointed and outraged that I that ILEA would schedule a meeting to vote on governance models with almost no notice to the residents and parents who are providing the funding that is so coveted and so integral for our public health system.

I uh ILEA should not vote today and should instead allow our community to have a meaningful voice in this process by giving proper notice to the IPS Parent Council so that IPS parents can be afforded the opportunity to gather and voice our concerns, of which there are many.

If ILEA votes today, I urge you to ensure that you do not eliminate the elected school board governance model.

Thank you.

If Letitia Gray, if Letitia is not here, we'll move on to William Hawk, Luke Lennon, and Stephanie Jackson.

You get me again because my third grader was still in school and couldn't make it.

But we've talked about this.

He came with me to the state house last year and he had some comments.

I am in Miss Brooks third grade class at CFI 27, and I have gone here since pre-K.

I like riding my bike to school and have re having recess at MLK Park.

We are learning about ancient Rome for our unit of inquiry.

We are learning about democracy and how it helps communities be more fair and just.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Hernandez.

I'm a parent and staff member at Roodet School Indy, and I support a model where an independent authority oversees transportation and facilities facilities for all schools.

As a parent, I'm happy that I'm able to drive my child to school.

But as a staff member, it's hard.

I get calls from parents that are happy that we provide transportation to students since we have now partnered with IPS transportation.

Transportation for all makes a difference where parents that are looking to have their children go to a charter school but don't have the resources to drive them like I do.

Well, thank you to all who have made public comment uh so far tonight.

At this point, I will end the public comment as it relates to tonight, and I will give the meeting over to Mike O'Connor to bring up a slide deck for the model concept discussion.

Uh, by way of reminder, I said at the very outset, today no final decisions will be made.

Thank you, Mayor.

As we move into discussion models, I do want to reiterate what you just said.

Well, we're going to narrow our focus to fewer concepts.

The final product of these discussions tonight and our follow-up from listening sessions that you hear a little bit more later this evening will not be limited to just these concepts.

The information learned and ideas exchanged over the next two weeks will educate, change, perhaps customize our final recommendations to the legislature.

And I would ask everybody to remember that is our task to make a series of recommendations to the legislature consistent with House Enrolled Act 1515.

So this afternoon we'll start with transportation models that we rolled out on November 19th.

Um go to the first one if you would.

Um as you recall, um, we put forward, or the transportation task force put forward two models that ran from utilizing a collaborative compact model, borrowed from our Denver discussion, uh, with IPS continuing to provide continued transportation services.

This is option one, and the second being option two, an independent transportation authority providing services to all school models served in the area of jurisdiction.

That entity, the independent model, uh, would receive tax dollars designated um uh to the schools for transportation.

Under option one, it would be a fee for service model.

People would opt in and utilize the IPS transportation system.

So the task force was pretty uh efficient, suggested two models to move forward the collaborative compact model and the independent transportation authority model, all of which you've had in front of you for a couple of weeks.

Yeah, Andrew.

Uh thank you, Mike.

Uh, you know, I I think you are making a key point that I want to reiterate that we are going to move forward different concepts and ideas that cover a spectrum and not simply choose one option over another.

So with that being said, um, I would suggest that as the task force has presented two options uh that are before us that we put both of those options forward for further discussion uh and for for further input uh at our upcoming community listening sessions.

Do I have any concurrence?

I have a second.

Okay.

I just I've made the point in the past.

I served with the Andrew on this uh transportation committee.

And I want to second, if that was a motion, I want to second the motion and state.

I think what was clear to us in the transportation discussion is that it we would benefit as a district, all students would benefit from a unified system that served um IPS students, terror school students, and innovation networks school students, public students in the district.

So with that, I I support the motion and look forward to having a lot of dialogue around uh both concepts.

So that's the second, Mr.

Mayor.

Any further discussion or are there other questions by any of the members of the ILEA?

Seeing none, uh, do I have consensus in the one uh motion before us that we're moving transportation models one and two ahead for further consideration?

Hearing consent, uh they will be so moved.

And now, Mike, uh facility slides uh to be presented.

Yeah, thank you.

Um moving forward, the facilities task force put forth four options for consideration.

The first two are consistent with the first two options described by the Transportation Task Force.

The third option is basically a fee-for-service model with IPS providing the services and other schools opting in, pardon me.

The fourth model, as I described on the on November 19th, was perhaps the least discussed, but utilize the concept of using the existing Indianapolis Marion County Building Authority as uh the owner uh and and to provide maintenance and operations for those buildings.

But in that discussion, we left unanswered some questions about authorizing accountability and other governance discussions.

So to reiterate, uh option one is the collaborative compact model.

Option two is an independent tran or independent authority uh buildings authority, pardon me.

Uh option three is the uh IPS providing as a fee for service, and option four is the uh utilizing the existing Marion County um uh entity.

Any discussion or questions about those models?

Mr.

Mayor, first uh off I do want to uh thank you, the superintendent and the rest uh and the other colleagues on this committee for very robust uh discussions, uh certainly relative to the facilities task force.

I I again can affirm that our conversations have been very robust, very comprehensive, and have looked at uh uh a battery of options.

I would also say um I benefited for as much as those conversations have been uh helpful.

I benefited more from the level of interaction and input that uh our our various stakeholders who represent our community uh have have aggressively informed uh through various means.

Most recently uh a visit that uh Andrew Tina and I uh where it would have at Theodore Potter 74.

So I'm very, very thankful that a lot of that also is informing some of the conversations here.

That said, what I would uh uh respectfully request this could be of the four models, uh consistent with uh uh what my colleague Andrew has said, we believe that models uh one and two offer uh a similar likelihood for the level of collaboration uh necessary to um reimagine how this ecosystem is going to uh look going forward.

So I would respectfully posit that we advance at least uh those two models, recognizing that we don't uh we're not voting in favor of one or the other, but rather there are elements that will likely derive from or solution may likely derive from elements of either model.

So I respectfully advance consideration of the two.

Ms.

Mr.

Mayer?

Yes, I just want to echo everything that Dorado just said.

I think one and two um gives us the opportunity to continue the conversation, allow the community to uh continue to engage around this very important issue, but then also helps us to bring in the scope a little bit more so.

Um I'm in favor of moving uh options one and two for it.

Is there any further discussion or other questions from any of the ILAA members?

Hearing none, um, do we have a consensus as an alliance to move facility models one and two ahead for further consideration?

Burado, am I restating your uh consensus motion?

Do we have any consensus in moving those facility models further further for uh consideration?

Consent uh being uh given, we will move facility models one and two ahead for further consideration.

Uh as it relates to the third issue, uh Mike or Mr.

O'Connor, I should say.

Uh do you uh want to remind all of us uh here today uh what those governance slides provide?

Yes, sir.

Um and I will remind everybody with governance is really kind of where we tie everything together.

Um November 19th, we discussed four possible options.

Uh I described option one as the least amount of change from the current state, uh maintaining OEI as a as an authorizer uh with an opportunity for appeal, uh, but the maintaining the IPS school board as both the school board service provider um uh for the broad spectrum of education models available here.

Um option two is again borrowing from what we learned to the Denver Public Schools presentation with a collaborative compact empowered to make decisions.

You will remember that we talked about the collaborative compact, and this model in particular would probably require statutory change or state law to empower it to tie everybody together.

Option three is the creation of a new education authority.

This model had uh design has been cleaned up a little bit with individual input from ILEA members asking some clarifying questions, so we changed some of the a little bit of the arrows and other things, but cleaned it up a little bit, but reflects the same general concepts as presented on November 19th.

And then option four simply reflects an all-mayor-appointed IPS school board embodied with the power uh and direction to collect property taxes and provide services across the entire Indianapolis education spectrum.

So those are the four options.

Uh option one being, as I described it November 19th, the the least amount of change, and option four uh being the most uh dramatic change.

Entertain any motions regarding moving forward any of these options.

Uh Mr.

Mayor, um, I kind of wanted to speak to your question about a motion.

So I think that the governance model is actually one of the more challenging, and like when you look through it, it intersects with all of the other um the transportation, the building authority, and it's something that's really critical to how we move forward.

As you know, I say all the time, we have to really look at what the legislature will accept as well, like what's best for us and what we can get through the legislature based upon how it's written in um House Enrolled Act 1515.

So when I look at it, Mayor, I'd like to make a motion with that in mind that we're gonna still have to get continued public input and feedback and do more studying, but keeping those tenants in mind, I think that governance model option two and governance model option three.

So two is the one that talks about collaborative compact, um, and then three talks about I'll just call the Secretary of Education.

I think those are the best two moving forward.

So I'd like to make a motion, Mayor, um, that we proceed with studying more closely those, get additional input and data, and um see how we can move in transitioning those to what could be acceptable.

So that's my motion, sir.

Is there any uh second or concurrence to that motion?

Mayor.

Yeah, Mayor, I'd like to speak just briefly on this as well.

I I think that I I agree with Angie that uh this is uh it's a really complex area, and it's at the end of the day, it is what ties everything together, and it is therefore perhaps the most important uh of the things that we're going to be considering uh as an alliance.

And um I think it's clear, I I I also agree with Angie that we should move forward models two and three.

Uh I just want to note that I I also believe that there's a lot of work yet to be done.

We have two weeks.

I think we're gonna be intensely working throughout those two weeks.

We're gonna be listening to the public and the public listening sessions.

We're gonna be talking with each other.

We have a lot of work to do, because I think there are a lot of unanswered questions that remain in Model 2 and Model 3.

I believe we can reach uh uh agreement on those.

I believe we can reach uh a proposal that we can be uh proud to put forward.

Uh but I think there's a lot of work to be done yet, but I think this is what the next step should be is to narrow this down to Model 2 and Model 3.

Is there any further discussion or other questions from ILEA members?

Yes, Mr.

Madam Superintendent.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh I'd like to make clear my support, my preference, my belief for an elected school board that is able to maintain their current oversight.

As the representatives of our community within the IPS boundary, our elected school board has direct oversight or contractual partnership with schools serving 78 percent of public school students in our boundary, charter and district.

The elected school board oversees the administration of transportation and facilities for 70 percent of public school students in our boundary, charter and district.

It would seem to me that the least disruptive way to proceed would be to leverage that publicly elected board to provide service or set policy for 100 percent of the public schools within our boundary charter and district, while still respecting the autonomy and flexibility that many of our charter schools enjoy today.

It is what is happening currently in IPS, is what we've built over the last 10 years, is what is happening in Denver Public Schools, which we have the opportunity to learn about two months ago.

Outside of the practical implications for leveraging our existing governance structure, we also cannot ignore the moment in time we are in as a country and as a state.

Just this week, newly proposed redistricting maps were introduced that carve up Marion County in ways that blatantly and explicitly seek to diminish the voices of our residents that dilute the impact and power of the voices of people of color in our community.

That is not that it's not an ideological statement, that is a factual statement.

So if we consider taking steps forward with options that diminish the decision-making rights of our community's elected officials in a community where more than 80% of our students and families are from a black or Latino background, when more than 60% of them are from low-income and low resource neighborhoods that have often been impacted by disinvestment, when we can look at the history of Indianapolis and Indianapolis public schools and see very clearly that our city and our community is in yet another iteration of disenfranchisement.

It is our obligation to at the very least acknowledge that reality.

I do not deny that our State House leadership has made very clear that we must do something or else.

But that should not change our commitment to ensuring that our community's voice is not diminished, not when we've worked so hard to get a voice in the first place.

With that, as an individual member of this alliance, I understand and have heard the recommendation to move forward exploring operate options two and three.

My priorities will remain maintaining an empowered elected school board within those models, working to maintain the expanded opportunities our students have now through rebuilding stronger opportunities they have not had in decades, and cultivating stability for our families who have not had that in IPS for over seven decades.

That will remain my my North Star and my commitment to our students and families who should not have to fight year after year to ensure the stability of their children's educational experiences.

Thank you.

Is there uh any further discussion or other questions from I L E A?

Tina, and then I'd like to comment.

Tina, okay.

Thank you.

Um similar to Dr.

Johnson speaking as an individual, I cannot consent to moving forward only models two and three.

Um I have gone out of my way since this opportunity came my way in June to speak to uh families and community members across every sector.

I have spent countless hours doing that of my own regard, um scheduling those meetings myself and participating in every single opportunity provided by this body and uh the school district to do so.

Um I have met again with leaders of charter schools, I have met with families in charter schools represented uh by various organizations and/or on their own.

And I feel like I have probably I've read every moment of public comment.

And I say that to say that the still there are large swaths of those folks, and in fact, the majority of those folks who are not represented in what they prefer for governance in models two and three.

That being said, since these models were released, we were only um given the the written public comment and written feedback on these models from the public, which would be um my only opportunity to hear from more folks who might disagree with my current stance.

Um we received those because it closed at noon today.

We received those during my work day, and because this meeting was scheduled at four o'clock, I have not yet had the opportunity to read additional public comment, uh feedback from these models that makes me comfortable agreeing to any reduction.

Again, that's me personally.

I know that other folks may have had time to read that, but again, I don't feel comfortable when I haven't been able to read the full public feedback on these models.

Thank you.

Mayor Peterson.

Yeah, I just wanted to uh thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to uh emphasize something the superintendent said and and something that's maybe not so obvious from looking at these models as we have been studying them.

We've heard an awful lot, obviously, today and and in all of the public meetings about retaining an elected school board.

And I just want to observe that models two and three do both retain and the elected school board of IPS as it is today.

And I think it's important to point out why.

Um other questions or comments from alliance members.

Why is this being important?

Um, do you want to uh call the role and see what the kids is regarding the proposal?

Assuming the ILA members are ready, I would uh I would ask for a uh just uh simple those in favor say aye.

Aye.

I maybe raise your hands.

Raise your hands so we can get aye.

Those opposed.

Raise your hands.

Who should be uh uh seven in favor to opposed?

Before uh we is that seven to two seven and two consensus.

Um before we conclude, uh before we conclude, please.

Please please have order.

Before we conclude the two listening sessions, uh to further gather input on the models that we just agreed to move forward.

Wednesday, December the 10th.

From 6 p.m.

to eight p.m.

at KIP Legacy High School.

And then again on Monday, December 15th from 12 noon to 2 p.m.

at Madame Walker Legacy Center.

More information can be found and will be found in the coming days on the ILEA website, and I'll uh accept the motion to adjourn.

So moved and seconded.

This meeting uh how be shall be adjourned.