Ballard Asks For Control Of Struggling IPS Schools 6.8.11

WRTV

Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White said he was blindsided by Mayor Greg Ballard pitch Wednesday to transfer control of seven struggling schools facing state takeover to the city.

Speaking to the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Ballard said he wants to put the severely under-performing schools -- Broad Ripple, Arlington, Manual, Northwest, Howe and Washington high schools, along with Emma Donnan Middle School -- in a program similar to the charter school system.
"Indianapolis must have schools that a parent wants to move to, not from," Ballard said. "We will be seeking input from across the community and from education experts to put together a detailed plan to petition the state Board of Education to transfer these schools to a charter-like model."
White said he had not been made aware of the mayor's plan in advance and said that he believed the announcement was political in nature.

"Politically, he's been pressured and pushed by various media, so it was time for him to get involved," White said, telling reporters the loss of any funding for any of the schools would be "destructive and devastating."

Ballard's opponent in the mayoral race, Melina Kennedy, said she agreed that the schools' performance is unacceptable, but she doesn't agree with the mayor's strategy, advocating planning to bring about change.
"Simply converting the school to a charter school really misses the bigger point," she said. "We need to bring in community partners. We need to address issues like literacy, early childhood education."
State officials are considering intervention that could range from providing technical assistance, to closing schools, to a full state takeover.

Ballard said he wants to use a new law that would allow him to ask for the schools to be returned to local oversight.

White said he believes the district can turn the schools around in three to five years.
"We have some schools that really have not performed on that state test like we think that they should," he said. "We think that we have a plan that can get those schools turned around."

Twenty schools statewide are being considered for a possible state takeover. The state is expected to make a decision regarding IPS by mid-summer. School academic results that will be released in early July are expected to weigh heavily on that decision.

Public meetings are planned for Wednesday night at Manual High School and Thursday night at Northwest High School. They begin at 6:30 p.m.

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