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Marion County public and private schools will receive $460 million from the Lilly Endowment to support a wide range of initiatives like new student programming, teacher training, and updated STEM and performing arts spaces.
The 34 grants announced by the organization Monday range from around $195,000 to $40 million. They will benefit public school districts, charter schools, and private schools throughout Marion County as part of the endowment’s twin school initiatives — the Marion County K-12 Public Schools Initiative and Marion County K-12 Private Schools Initiative.
But the Indianapolis-based philanthropic foundation has not yet made a decision on the grant proposal from IPS, due to the ongoing work of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, which this week will move closer to making key recommendations about the future of the district and local charter schools.
“The Endowment will delay its decision on IPS’ phase 3 competitive grant proposal under the Marion County K-12 Public School Initiative until after these recommendations have been made and until there is clarity about the impact the recommendations may have on the district’s proposal,” the organization said in a press release.
The endowment supports a number of education initiatives throughout Indiana, including the state’s shift to reading instruction based on the science of reading. The grant funding for districts comes as many are preparing for declines in revenue as a result of the state’s new property tax caps.
December’s competitive grant announcement follows two rounds of planning and implementation grants announced by the Lilly Endowment earlier this year. These smaller grants went to 82 schools in Marion County to help districts support evidence-based programs that improve student achievement or career readiness. IPS received $10.5 million from these earlier grants to support reading and tutoring initiatives.
Districts then submitted proposals for larger projects to compete for the implementation grants announced this week.
The largest grant of $40 million went to Perry Township Schools, which described the funding as an “extraordinary investment.” (The district has an operations fund of around $52 million and an education fund of around $138 million, the two primary sources of state and local funding for its costs.)
Perry will use the funding to address math proficiency, develop teachers, and expand its career education offerings. The Lilly grant will pay for a facility on the University of Indianapolis campus that will expand the district’s entrepreneurship graduation pathway.
“This investment directly supports and accelerates our goal to empower the Southside community of Indianapolis,” said Melissa Morris, the district’s director of grants and strategic partnerships, in a news release. “We look forward to working with our partners over the next five years to develop a self-sustaining system that inspires students to dream and equips them with the skills to turn those dreams into reality.”
With a $14.4 million grant, Adelante Schools, a K-8 charter school, will fund advanced degrees and licensure pathways for teachers, and enhance social studies and science instruction, the school said in an announcement on its website.
It will also update its cafeteria, gymnasium, and arts and wellness spaces.
“This grant allows us to create the learning conditions our students deserve,” said CEO Edward Rangel in the announcement. “By expanding rigorous instruction, improving key school spaces, and supporting our teachers as they further their education, we are building a stronger pathway to long-term student success,”
“The Endowment is pleased to support a wide variety of schools in Marion County in their efforts to help students succeed,” said Ted Maple, the Endowment’s vice president for education in a press release. “We believe those projects selected for funding will significantly benefit thousands of students across our city.”
Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.
