Several lawmakers are pushing back at a bill aimed at dissolving school corporations where not enough students living within the school district are enrolled in public schools.
The bill would require at least 50-percent of students living within a school district to attend public school, or else that school district would then be dissolved and make way for charter schools to take over.
This would greatly impact Indianapolis Public Schools.
“I need you to ask one question,” said IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson. “‘What will be better for all students due to this policy?’ Surely, we don’t think the solution is to take resources from one group of children and give them to another when everybody needs them to succeed. Indeed, we can speak with our leaders and advocate for them; they all need support.”
State Sen. Andrea Hunley is at the forefront of opposition that is growing within the Statehouse to the bill, which is being proposed by State Rep. Jake Teshka (R).
“The public school district of record, they are responsible for providing special education services to those kids, even in a private school,” Hunley said. “They are responsible for ensuring that all their records are kept and that we know where those students are and where they’re enrolled in school. So if we disband a public school district, how will we ensure we meet these federal requirements?”
IPS has also formed a coalition with neighboring school districts to reinforce the opposition to the bill. This includes Pike Township Schools in Marion County. Even though Pike would not be impacted by the legislation, district leaders there say they are right on the edge and could be soon.
Gary Community Schools and Township Consolidated Schools in La Porte County would also be impacted.