At a moment when Indianapolis is grappling with how to ensure every public school is accountable to students and families, House Bill 1423 represents a meaningful opportunity to center equity, responsibility, and student outcomes across our city’s public education system.
We rise today predominantly in support of House Bill 1423.
For years, families and policymakers have called for stronger accountability across Indianapolis’s various public schools. We appreciate that this bill responds by holding all public schools, regardless of governance model, to the same standard of accountability, particularly when it comes to chronically low performing schools. Public dollars come with public responsibility, and that responsibility should not depend on who runs the school.
At its core, HB 1423 keeps students at the center. It also recognizes the work done over the past six months by the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance and reflects the input of a multitude of stakeholders.
The creation of an independent Indianapolis public education corporation is a meaningful step forward, particularly in two areas that have long driven inequity: access to high-quality school facilities and reliable transportation. These are not charter issues or district issues. They are student issues. A unified, citywide approach has the potential to expand access to quality schools for students across Indianapolis, no matter where they choose to enroll.
We also appreciate the thoughtful composition of the corporation’s board, which recognizes the need for both educational leadership and operational expertise.
While we broadly support this bill, we do hope to see a few refinements as it moves forward.
First, we strongly urge that any future transportation requirements remain tied to sustainable funding and that schools retain flexibility in how transportation is provided. Mandating transportation in one geographic area, when it is not required statewide, raises significant policy concerns that warrant careful consideration.
Second, as the appointment structure is finalized, we encourage careful attention to long-term balance and stability. The governance model should ensure balanced representation, regardless of political or philosophical shifts in future mayoral administrations. Stability and trust will be essential to this entity’s success.
Finally, we are concerned about provisions that would limit charter school authorizers within Indianapolis. Trine University has demonstrated a strong track record of quality authorizing and student outcomes and high-performing authorizers should retain the ability to authorize and renew schools beyond current charter terms.
House Bill 1423 represents an important step forward for Indianapolis students. With a few targeted refinements, we believe this bill can be even stronger.
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