IPS hopes to turn former high school into community hub
The Indianapolis Public Schools Board of Commissioners approved a plan Thursday to sell the John Marshall school building to a yet to be determined not-for-profit organization for $725,000.
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Indianapolis Public Schools teachers could get 3% raises this year and next
The school board also approved a separate agreement that will award support staff a 2% raise this year. Both agreements are retroactive to July and signal an end to two years of more significant pay increases intended to make up for years of frozen salaries.
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IPS erases $18 million deficit but needs to keep cutting
Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said Thursday that she doesn’t anticipate closing any schools by next fall, but she warned that the district must continue to cut costs to avoid falling into the red.
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Vaccinated staff, students can go mask-free when school starts, IPS says
Indianapolis Public Schools students and staff who are vaccinated do not have to wear masks in classrooms when school starts, according to new district guidance. Unvaccinated students will be required to wear masks at school, and the district recommends that staff continue to wear masks around unvaccinated students, especially children under 12 who are currently […]
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IPS moves forward with $5 million in busing cuts
With little opposition, the Indianapolis Public Schools board on a 6-1 vote approved cutting school bus service for about 600 high schoolers.
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Indianapolis schools get boost from $30M federal neighborhood grant
Announced Tuesday, the $30 million Promise Neighborhood grant will boost local efforts in the Near Eastside and Martindale-Brightwood communities to address poverty and improve education and community support systems.
Indianapolis Public Schools latest district to join vaping suit
The 2018 Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey found that more than one-third of Indiana high school students had used a Juul product.
Seven of 10 IPS staffers report receiving COVID vaccinations
The vaccination rate is higher among teachers and principals—more than 80%—and lower among classified staff such as custodians and food service workers, said Superintendent Aleesia Johnson.
IPS’ plan to share tax funds with charters draws legal question
The IPS board is scheduled to vote Thursday on a plan to give $5 million per year to charter partners from the district’s 2018 operating referendum.
IPS could share $5M in referendum funds with innovation schools
Responding to urging from families and other advocates, Indianapolis Public Schools is proposing to share $5 million per year from a recent tax measure with its charter school partners.
Indianapolis Public Schools to raise starting salary for teachers to $50,400
The hike is part of a two-year union contract approved Thursday that will give an average 3% raise for teachers this school year and another 3% next year.
IPS enrollment rises as missing kindergartners return
Enrollment trends will drive crucial upcoming decisions on the future of the district, such as considering potential school closures, evaluating choice programs, and adding charter school partnerships.
IPS shifts gears to require masks for all staff and students
In light of tighter mask guidance from federal and local health authorities, Indianapolis Public Schools announced Thursday that all students and staff would be required to wear masks indoors when the fall semester begins on Monday.
Indiana ILEARN test scores plunge during pandemic
Results of the annual ILEARN state tests released Wednesday show that 28.6% of students statewide in grades 3 through 8 tested proficient in both English and math. In 2019, the last time the test was given, 37.1% passed.
Tutoring, tech support, therapy: How parents want IPS to spend millions in COVID aid
IPS officials this week are gathering feedback from parents at virtual and in-person town halls and through an online form before deciding how to spend almost $136 million from the latest round of federal aid for schools.
Several Indianapolis districts to offer remote learning options in fall
Four Indianapolis school districts—Pike, Warren, and Lawrence townships, as well as Speedway—have confirmed that they will offer a remote option for students in the fall.
Indianapolis Public Schools struggles to recruit racially diverse staff, review shows
IPS is not alone in the struggle to hire and retain staff of color. School districts in Indianapolis, throughout the state, and nationwide also have labored over trying to recruit teachers and other staff of color.
To cut costs, IPS proposes to end busing for about 2,600 students
While significant, the cut to transportation is less than half what the district was sketching out in January, as it sought to lower operating costs amid steadily shrinking enrollment and a severe budget crunch.
Indianapolis Public Schools to redo student career paths
To better prepare graduates for college and well-paying jobs, IPS plans to revamp its high school career and college curriculum and drop programs that don’t lead directly to jobs.
IPS returning to in-person learning for all grades on April 5
Schools still must be able to maintain 3 feet of social distancing, require masks, and ensure a strong contact tracing protocol, Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said.
IPS weighs eliminating school bus service for thousands of students
If the Indianapolis Public Schools board approves the most drastic cuts, about 5,600 high school students and 4,000 elementary school students could lose district-provided transportation.
Slightly more Indianapolis families opt for in-person learning for 2nd semester
More families are rethinking at-home learning because it isn’t going well for their children or they’re worried about negative long-term learning effects.
IPS seats two new board members, strengthening charter support
Indianapolis Public Schools swore in two new board members and two incumbents Monday night. All four have the backing of pro-school choice political action committees.
IPS officials consider one-year extension for innovation schools
Without data to paint a picture of academic success or failure, Indianapolis Public Schools will likely delay for a year renewing the contracts of four privately run schools under its supervision.