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.