Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Mary Ann Sullivan

Indiana
February 12, 2018

Betsy DeVos made a covert visit to Indianapolis last week. Here’s why.

DeVos has highlighted Indianapolis innovation schools as an “out-of-the-box” approach.
Indiana
January 24, 2018

As Indianapolis moves to give principals more freedom, tough choices are on the horizon

The district aims to give principals at all traditional schools more control over instruction, budgets, and staffing by 2020.
Indiana
January 8, 2018

New board president wants a ‘world-class education’ for every student in Indianapolis Public Schools

School board member Michael O’Connor was unanimously selected Monday to serve as president for 2018.
Indiana
December 11, 2017

Millions of extra dollars go to Indianapolis magnet schools that have fewer poor students

More than $6.5 million extra is going 17 schools — including the district’s most affluent campuses.
Indiana
December 11, 2017

IPS’ new budget plan is supposed to give more money to poor schools. Here’s how it works.

Many schools with needy students still got less from the district than schools with more middle-class students.
Indiana
November 30, 2017

Indianapolis Public Schools will likely ask taxpayers for $936 million for teacher pay, construction

If approved by the school board next month, the request would be placed on the 2018 primary ballot on May 8.
Indiana
September 27, 2017

Test scores jumped in innovation schools, but IPS leaders aren’t declaring victory just yet.

Of the eight innovation schools that took the ISTEP test last spring, seven had higher passing rates on both the math and English tests than in the previous year.
Indiana
July 28, 2017

Indianapolis Public Schools leaders stripped a traditional public school of its teachers union — and few saw it coming

IPS leaders used a little-known provision of state law to remove the union as part of a plan to improve Marshall approved by the Indiana State Board of Education.
Indiana
April 28, 2017

IPS broke its own rules to work with a for-profit charter operator. Now it’s having second thoughts.

The district is responsible for Emma Donnan Elementary School's — so far low — test scores.

Money money

Indiana
November 17, 2016

IPS superintendent’s pay check goes up — even as test scores go down

The same day the public learned that test scores fell at the vast majority of Indianapolis Public Schools, Superintendent Lewis Ferebee got a $26,999 bonus.

Testing

Indiana
November 17, 2016

IPS sees test scores drop at top schools and first ‘innovation’ restart in 2016

Scores fell across the state, but the situation was worse in IPS, where the passing rate went down by 4 percentage points to 25.3 percent in 2016.

Testing

Indiana
October 19, 2016

Tired of waiting on state for test results, IPS considers giving students a new exam

Students in the Indianapolis Public Schools might soon have to take yet another exam. District leaders are so tired of the wait for state test…

Indianapolis Schools Divided

Indiana
September 29, 2016

IPS board approves changes to magnet admission, opening doors to more diverse schools

The district is shrinking the priority boundary and adding later admission deadlines.

Indianapolis Schools Divided

Indiana
September 20, 2016

Will new lottery rules diversify IPS magnet schools?

The board will vote on the proposal next week.

A school reborn

Indiana
August 31, 2016

The long road to a new site ends in song and inspiration at Edison School for the Arts

Tuesday’s coming out party for Edison, which began classes at its new location with the start of school earlier this month, was the final step in a sometimes painful process of reorganizing the arts magnet programs at Indianapolis Public Schools.

schools divided

Indiana
July 11, 2016

IPS leaders debate: Is keeping white students from leaving part of their strategy?

District leaders react to the Chalkbeat, Indianapolis Star and WFYI series on segregation.

Hold your horses

Indiana
July 5, 2016

A unified enrollment system for Indianapolis schools? Not so fast, IPS board members say on Facebook

After advocates sent the Star a letter celebrating unified enrollment, board members said they were surprised by the timeline.

New kids

Indiana
April 20, 2016

Indianapolis Public Schools plans school for kids new to the country

The school would serve students in their first year in the country who are in the early stage of learning English.
Indiana
March 4, 2016

IPS revises estimate: enrollment to hold steady

The district initially expected enrollment to drop by 968 students.
Indiana
February 25, 2016

Ferebee gets a raise, contract extension despite complaints

The new contract increases Ferebee's potential pay to $287,000 a year and extends his contract until 2019.
Indiana
February 16, 2016

Teacher, parents tell the IPS school board to skip a raise for Ferebee

The IPS Board is considering extending Ferebee's contract to 2019 and raising his potential pay to more than $287,000 per year.
Indiana
February 8, 2016

IPS picks six schools to try out more freedom for principals (updated)

The schools will be part of a pilot autonomy program that the district hopes to expand.
Indiana
January 28, 2016

With a $100,000 Gates grant, IPS moves to strengthen district, charter school collaboration

Five years after taking a pass, IPS will use the money to pay for an "innovation manager."
Indiana
January 11, 2016

Cosby, the IPS board’s main dissenter, says she won’t run for re-election

Gayle Cosby will not run for reelection to the IPS school board, and it's unclear whether a new dissenting board member will fill her shoes.
Indiana
January 8, 2016

New IPS board president Mary Ann Sullivan: It's time to put changes into place

The board elected Mary Ann Sullivan president, am Odle as vice-president and LaNier Echols as secretary for 2016.
Indiana
January 7, 2016

Mary Ann Sullivan, former legislator, poised to become new IPS school board president

Board members meet Friday to pick a leader for 2016.
Indiana
January 4, 2016

5 bold predictions for the new year for ISTEP, teachers, Pence, Ritz and IPS

Ferebee is in demand, Ritz and Pence have political challenges and ISTEP could die in 2016.
Indiana
December 22, 2015

Part of Ferebee's bonus, like teacher raises, is in limbo because of ISTEP delay

The IPS superintendent received mostly good marks in the school board's review to determine his bonus.
Indiana
December 15, 2015

IPS survey finds administrators and principals back changes but say they may be coming too fast

A consultant counted 60 new initiatives underway districtwide

autonomy

Indiana
December 10, 2015

Rich school, poor school: IPS push to even out funding could bring big changes

A new budgeting system designed to increase equity and autonomy could put pressure on schools with experienced teachers.
Indiana
November 19, 2015

Instead of outsourcing, IPS hires Jamal Smith as athletic director

Indianapolis Public Schools hired Jamal Smith as district athletic director tonight, abandoning a proposal to outsource management to a private company led by Smith.
Indiana
November 2, 2015

Key Learning Community parents say they were left out of decision

The school board already voted to close Key Learning Community School, but the parents are not ready to move on.
Indiana
October 29, 2015

IPS board votes to close Key school, approve school autonomy plan

Key Learning Community’s historic run as the world’s first schools built on curriculum inspired by the theory of Multiple Intelligences will come to an end this spring.
Indiana
October 19, 2015

IPS board to consider closing Key Learning Community among school shifts

Key Learning Academy, a Indianapolis school world-famous as the first built on a modern psychological theory of Multiple Intelligences, seems poised to meet its end.
Indiana
September 22, 2015

IPS might outsource athletic director job and oversight of sports programs

IPS is considering outsourcing the role of district athletic director to a nonprofit group run by the former head of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.
Indiana
August 25, 2015

Former IPS board president passed over to interview for open seat

The IPS school board will interview three of four candidates for its open school board seat, but the one it eliminated already is a familiar name.
Indiana
August 25, 2015

IPS board gives blessing to house Global Prep charter school

Superintendent Lewis Ferebee got the go-ahead from the school board to negotiate a deal with charter school developer Mariama Carson to put the school in an IPS building.
Indiana
July 13, 2015

What will school autonomy mean for IPS?

Indianapolis could be the latest district to follow a national trend toward more independent schools.
Indiana
May 1, 2015

IPS school board breaks its own rules to partner with a charter school network

The district said that working with Charter Schools USA to create a new elementary school was a "one-time exception" to the policy against working with for-profit companies.
Indiana
March 9, 2015

IPS board to Ferebee: Bring us a reform-driven strategic plan

Increasing school choice options, driving decision-making away from the Central Office, and transitioning to student-based budgeting will guide the district.
Indiana
January 6, 2015

IPS mystery: Members mum on next school board president

The uncertainty of who will be the next board president is reminiscent of 2013: Once again three newly-elected board members with big changes in mind are taking office.
Indiana
December 1, 2014

Sullivan tells gathering that Shortridge wasn’t handled well

Guy Russell has had a long history with Indianapolis Public Schools, and he wanted answers today from newly-elected Indianapolis Public School Board member Mary Ann Sullivan.
Indiana
November 7, 2014

New IPS board has big moves in mind

Newly elected Indianapolis Public School Board members say they will quickly push for new strategies next year, but they aren't yet saying what those strategies will be. At least one board member who was defeated said he is so worried about the district's future that he plans to take an active "watch dog" role as a citizen observer of the new board.

IPS At-Large School Board Race

Indiana
November 4, 2014

Mary Ann Sullivan defeats school board president Annie Roof

The campaign was marked by clashes over money, with candidates like Sullivan raising previously unheard of sums from contributors all over the country and Roof receiving support in an unexpected place: the state teachers union whose IPS teachers haven't seen a raise under Roof's tenure.

IPS ELECTION 2014

Indiana
November 4, 2014

Challengers crush all three IPS school board members in election

All three incumbent IPS school board members were defeated in a landslide election Tuesday night.

IPS school board race

Indiana
November 3, 2014

Election preview: IPS candidates battle for control of school board

Incumbents Annie Roof, Michael Brown and Samantha Adair-White — who are asking for voters to give them another four years to serve the district — each face stiff competition for their seats from candidates who are drawing in tens of thousands of dollars from contributors, and who say they are in favor of more aggressive reforms for the district, such as partnering with charter schools and giving principals more autonomy to fix failing schools.
Indiana
October 23, 2014

IPS board candidates diverge over charter schools, other changes

Dividing lines began to emerge Thursday among the 10 candidates seeking three Indianapolis Public School Board seats at a candidate forum. The event, held at the Central Library and presented by the education news website Chalkbeat Indiana in conjunction with the library and WFYI public television, featured the candidates answering questions from Chalkbeat’s bureau chief Scott Elliott and from an audience of about 100 people.

IPS At-Large School Board Race

Indiana
October 23, 2014

IPS board president gets tough challengers in hard-fought at-large race

At this point, most of the at-large candidates said it’s difficult to tell who will walk away victorious Nov. 4. The vote will be split five ways in one of the traditionally lower turnout races in any election year.
Indiana
October 23, 2014

Watch IPS school board candidate forum from home with live webcast

Can't attend Chalkbeat and WFYI's candidate forum at the IndyPL's Central Library tonight featuring the 10 people running for a seat on the Indianapolis Public School Board? No problem — you can watch from home!
Indiana
October 23, 2014

Josh Owens: Butler instructor wants to connect IPS students with future employers

(Chalkbeat talked with the 10 candidates running for a spot on the Indianapolis Public Schools board about their backgrounds, educational philosophies, and why and how…
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