UPDATED WITH AUDIO: Friday, top officials of the Indiana Department of Education appeared on Afternoons with Amos to explain what happens next with the Takeover of 4 IPS schools by the state. Jim Larson, Jackie Cissell and Alex Damron appeared on Afternoons with Amos to explain and listen to concerns an answer questions.
Thursday, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett had announced his recommendations to the Indiana State Board of Education that four Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) schools be directly taken over by the State. Dr. Bennett is also recommended that two other IPS schools receive guidance and assistance from outside consultants working with IPS
The State’s recommendations for the four schools to be taken over are:
Arlington Community High School – Turnaround School Operator: EdPower, a minority-owned, Indianapolis-based organization that currently operates Charles Tindley Charter School.
Emmerich Manual High School, T.C. Howe Community High School and Emma Donnan Middle School – Turnaround School Operator Charter Schools USA, based in Florida.
Two other schools would still be operated by IPS but with assistance from what the State calls “Lead Operators”. They are:
George Washington Community High School, Lead Partners: Wireless Generation and The New Teacher Project.
Broad Ripple Magnet High School, Lead Partners: Scholastic Achievement Partners and The New Teacher Project.
The Turnaround Operators will have contracts with the State and will operate the schools in a transition year this school year and then with full control, including state funding, starting in August 2012.
The Lead Partners will work with IPS to support and implement targeted improvements. They will provide services to Broad Ripple and George Washington during this school year.
In announcing his recommendations, Dr. Bennett said, “I wish these announcements weren’t necessary, but we have a legal and moral obligation to intervene in these schools and give these students the great education they deserve.”
And Bennett added, “We make these recommendations only after carefully considering the unique needs of each school and only with community input. These interventions offer a tremendous opportunity to improve these schools for the benefit of the students in them.”
Dr. Bennett’s recommendations will be formally submitted to the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) this Monday, August 29. That meeting will be streamed live at www.doe.in.gov/stateboard/.
