IPS Rebuilding Stronger Plan Passes with Unanimous Vote: David McGuire’s Perspective

Join us for this three-perspective series. Indy K12 writers David McGuire, Andrew Pillow, and Educator Barnes provide their perspectives and thoughts about the recently approved IPS Rebuilding Stronger plan.

The word unanimous means to be in full agreement or a vote or opinion held by everyone involved. In the 2015-2016 NBA season Steph Curry became the first and still the only player to win the NBA MVP award by unanimous decision. Whether they liked Steph Curry or not, everyone who watched basketball that year could agree. In the NFL, Tom Brady in 2010 and Lamar Jackson in 2019 are the only players to win the MVP by unanimous decision. Again, watching those, you do not have to be fans of the two players to realize they were the best players in the league in their respective years. In the late hours of Thursday, November 18, 2022, the Indianapolis Public School Board voted to pass the district’s latest effort to improve schools for children. They did it with a unanimous vote. 

The plan released in September has received many updates and edits as the district has listened to parents, teachers, and community members. The plan is much improved, in my opinion, since I first read it back in September. Even with the improvements after listening to public testimony that lasted about two hours, I could not believe that not one board member voted against the plan. Here are some highlights from the plan that stood out to me:

• Six schools are closing (One less than the original plan)
• Previously closed buildings will reopen as new middle schools (TC Howe, where I used to teach)
• K-8 model morph into K-5 & 6-8 (This I am a fan of)
• More stand-alone middle schools will be created (Those who have taught or led middle school know how important this work is at this level) 
• Two innovation partners contracts will end (Not surprised but personally disappointed as I have friends who work and lead in those schools)
• The district will become a collection of schools in enrollment zones (For me, the verdict is still out on if this will work)

I am not on the school board; I am not an executive member of IPS who worked on the plan, so I only based it on the community meeting I attended. My opinions are based on the publicly posted plan I read, the public testimony I have listened to at multiple board meetings, and my experiences as a teacher and leader, with a mix of what I have learned in my superintendent training at Marian University. I see a plan that has divided the district. I see a plan that has divided the community. It has even divided some organizations that have been the district’s strong advocates and allies. 

Those in leadership should only sometimes cave to public opinion because if that were the case, then nothing would get done. After all, you will never have 100% approval from the public on plans of this large scale. I also will never take a shot at the superintendent of IPS, members of the IPS board, or leaders and teachers who favor the plan. The main reason is that some of the people in the catergories I listed are Black, and when Black people are leading decisions like this it makes me feel more comfortable than if the individuals leading this work were not Black. That, again, is just my opinion. While I won’t criticize, I will question a few areas. My questions are:

1. Why now? 
2. Why was it so important to pass the plan this school year? 
3. Why not wait another year and have time to analyze the public commentary more in depth? Why not create a committee of community individuals from the proposed enrollment zones?
4. Why allow three board members who will not be on the board when the plan takes effect to vote? Would the incoming board members who initially said they would vote no been swayed to vote yes for the plan in this final update?
5. The district could ask the public for an $810 referendum. What happens if that referendum is not approved? How does that impact the plan?
6. The two most prominent supporters of IPS are The Mind Trust and Stand for Children, who both expressed public disagreement with the plan. How will this change their relationship in the future? 
7. What happens to the principals of the schools that are closing? Will they have an opportunity to lead somewhere else in the district? 

The vote is final, and the most important point is supporting those parents, teachers, and school leaders who will lose their school. Whether you agree or disagree with the plan, the focus now should be on how to make the plan work for the district and the people in the district who will be impacted.

For the district to “rebuild stronger,” it will take the work of all of us together. We have to put our differences aside because this is the plan; these are the orders, and kids will be impacted!