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Several Indiana schools, including Indianapolis Public Schools, announced closed buildings or an online learning day on Monday, a day of action for the state teachers union that will feature heavy pushback against a proposed property tax reform bill slashing funding for public schools.
The announcements from the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township and the Monroe County Community School Corporation on Friday come in the waning days of a legislative session that could carry a huge financial hit for school districts. The Senate Bill 1 property tax relief bill would decrease a significant revenue source for school districts, which would also have to share property tax revenues with charter schools.
The combined effects of both changes would cost school districts roughly $744 million over the next three years.
The Union School Corporation — which would also be dissolved under the same tax reform bill — also announced on Friday that it would cancel school on Monday and offered buses for students, staff, and parents to ride to the statehouse.
And on Sunday evening, Indianapolis Public Schools announced an asynchronous learning day on Monday, after the district insisted that it would not shift classes, in part because of the hardship it could create for families.
“We recognize that many staff members will be attending a Day of Action at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday, April 14, and we support the advocacy of our staff members, along with the advocacy demonstrated by so many of our families,” the district said in a statement Sunday night. “Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to identify enough staff coverage to feel confident in our ability to safely operate schools on Monday, April 14, while staff members are out.”
Because IPS has already used up its allowed asynchronous days for the school year, the district will add an additional in-person day to its school calendar. The last day of school for students will be May 23, and the last day for staff will be May 27, the district said.
“If your student attends an IPS Innovation school, please check with your student’s individual school for details regarding this issue,” the district said in its statement.
In a memo to families on Friday, the Union School Corporation also said it would make up the day off with an e-learning day on April 18.
“While MCCSC acknowledges the disruption this may cause for families, the urgency to advocate for public school funding has never been greater,” the Monroe County school corporation, which is estimated to lose roughly $17 million by 2028 under the latest version of the bill, said in a statement. “Tens of millions of dollars are at stake with proposed legislation, including Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 518. If passed, this legislation could have devastating consequences for public education across Indiana.”
The district said that administrators, teachers, and staff would attend the day of action.
In Pike Township, the district said there were 184 planned teacher absences on Monday, but did not indicate whether those were due to the union’s day of action. (The district had just over 700 teachers in 2023-24).
The district said in a statement that after-school tutoring would be canceled, but that the e-learning day would not impact other after-school activities.
This story has been updated to include statements from IPS and the Union School Corporation.
Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.
