Moving Forward Together: ICIC’s Perspective on ILEA’s Final Recommendations

The Indiana Charter Innovation Center appreciates the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance (ILEA) for its commitment to centering students throughout this process. We thank the members for overwhelmingly choosing what they believe to be in the best interests of children across Indianapolis. The final recommendations reflect months of work, community input, and a willingness to confront some of the city’s most persistent challenges in education.

The recommendations include several meaningful steps forward. The proposal to establish an independent transportation and facilities authority stands out as a particularly promising development and, properly implemented, can establish Indianapolis as a national leader in dealing with these issues. A unified, independent entity has the potential to reduce barriers for families, streamline access to buildings, support school growth, and create a more coherent system for public school students across the city. This kind of structural solution represents a real opportunity to improve how Indianapolis delivers essential services students and schools rely on every day.

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We also recognize the broader intent behind the recommendations: to modernize governance, address long-standing inequities, and create a more coordinated approach to serving students. These ambitious goals move the conversation toward innovation, transparency, and shared responsibility for student success.

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Although we do not support limiting authorizers or believe this is the right moment to exempt IPS from the dollar law, we still see this package of recommendations as an important step forward for Indianapolis.

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As the conversation moves to the legislature, ICIC remains committed to working with lawmakers, school leaders, and community partners to ensure that the final structure strengthens accountability, expands opportunity, and supports every high-quality public school in our city.

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