Good evening. I call to order the Education Committee meeting. I is Thursday. Our Tuesday, NOVEMBER 4th, 2025 and where the public assembly room. I would like to start with Mike introduction of my colleagues starting in the Thank you. MADAM Chair, Gary Cahill District. 23, thank you. MADAM Chair, Promise. Perkins District 6. Good evening, everyone. Thank you. MADAM Chair, Keith District 9. Thank you. MADAM Chair, Foods, Washington Lawrence townships, District 3. Thank you. And I am Jessica McCormick district 16 from the West Side. We have one item on our agenda tonight. We have a presentation from Michael o'Connor from the Indianapolis, Local Education Alliance, Iowa. The floor is yours. Thank you. MADAM Chair. Hope I don't disappoint some of the only item on the agenda. A lot of pressure thank you very much. My name
is Michael Connor. I've been retained by the mayor's office to project manage the work done by the iaea. The iaea was created by House enrolled Act. 15, 15 was House Bill 1550, in the voluminous packet of information. I presented copy of House enrolled Act 15, 15 for the record. And as I walked through things we discussed, well, I gave you MAY killed a tree or 2 in giving you one copy of all the files. It is all available on the electronic site at the aioli maintains and will send over Google Drive of all this. Should you want excessive electronically? But as I said, was created by the Indiana General Assembly in the last legislative session this year.
The spring in and I want I won't bore you with the legislative reading the the intent of the Legislature I know counselor boots as well where there is no such thing as legislative intent in Indiana law. But the desire of of the speaker and the and the folks who supported the bill and bringing people together was to create a better working relationship between the charter sector of education, the public charter school sector in Minneapolis and the traditional public school sector and ips and urging know a group of appointees and I'll go through them in greater detail to get together and make some recommendations towards that end. The legislation created a panel. Indiana was a local l a education alliance and then made the mayor or his
designee. The chair and the superintendent as part of that. And the mayor is sort of designated her as her as his vice chair from that group. So it s has appointees, as I said, Superintendent Dr Lisa Johnson the ad hoc. She's serving been in every meeting and axes. Vice chair of group teen all run is a is a superintendent appointee. Tina is a math teacher Harshman middle school. Andrew Neil is superintendent appointee, but the the slot created that he feels is for 8. Charter School Innovation Network Charter school parent to serve on the So Andrew Neil is a pastor or a ministries. The ceo Outreach Youth Homeless Mission. Homelessness mission on the near East side of
Indianapolis. Brit is the appointee of the ips board. PRESIDENT And he is the executive director of market crew had not Martin Christian Center. Pardon me. And so those are the 4 IPs appointees to the iaea. The mayor, as I said, is designated the chair. He could have designated someone to serve in that role either on his staff. But he has chosen to I feel that saw himself. He also has been in all the meetings. I'm Angela Smith Jones, former deputy mayor for Mayor Hogsett currently a vice PRESIDENT Of Indiana University is one of the Merrill appointees counselor, Maggie Lewis. You all know counselor, she's majority leader here serves on the committee, Toby McLean, Rock, an attorney at Giddens former member of the the City County Council serves as a mayor's designee Bart Peterson also named maybe some of you recognize former mayor of the
city of Indianapolis. So those are the 9 members of the As I said, there are and the ips board the board PRESIDENT Had once lot brighter but feels that. The superintendent had to sort of at large lots fill. She put herself in one you know, all run the other and then a spot specifically designated to for a parent students and Innovation Network school. The the organization has had 5 meetings to date at the JUNE meeting. It was organizational in nature again, running through what House enrolled Act 15, 15 details both the series of Shough's Bice. Designated by Shough's that the organization should consider. There are some maze within process, but sort of the work laid out in the in
the legislation for the eye on in JULY, there was a deep dive into school finance. I would call school finance one-on-one, although it's an ever evolving. You guys understand having just gone through the budget, there are significant changes because a state law school finance one-on-one, a lot time spent on understanding how the referendum or referenda process works. Unity and we've got both capital referendums that take place. Referenda take place she get my laurels and similar? Correct. That are typically 20 year nature. And then in 2008, the state on change and create an opportunity they locked Froze, operating fund levels for public school systems. At the 2008 level. And then allow
school systems too, create a referendum to increase those operating costs if approved by the voters. And so it's it's an interesting process, folks who haven't been immersed school finance, sometimes Gunn understand how operating revenues can then start dipping over a period of time. But that's when that actual referenda starts to tail off IPs is instance. That tells off at the end of 2026. And so in 2027 and their son subtleties to this. But roughly tz to say that in 27 it s loses about 40 million dollars if they don't go forward with another referendum on an annual basis in operating revenue. Some discussion again, as I said, things you guys have wrestled with it in a different way. Son. The impact on Senate
enrolled Act. One on both ips and charter school finances and a lot of detail again and the volume of things you and how how finances work the finance across sports and enrolled act one called for property tax sharing with charter schools that are present in the district of the schools that is rate that are raising are using property taxes for operating funds. In AUGUST, there was a deep dive into facilities facilities. Load management planning, operations and maintenance, a presentation from ips on how they manage their operations. And are there facilities and then how they manage the facilities for roughly 17 of the 30 Innovation Network schools. 13 of those they don't manage facilities for some they do. So they don't. And the details of those
contracts Purdue Polytechnic high high schools. I should say the 2 that are present in Indianapolis. There's a 3rd in South Bend, but the 2 that are present in Indianapolis, he Warren from their schools made a presentation and they have an interesting model of one building in which they operate is owned and managed by ips. That's broad ripple high school, one building near where I The district representative not yes, the Mallory building that they own and up what they actually hold. Alice to an organization on the side. But they essentially manage their own building there. So her presentation was sort of how the dichotomy of those 2 situations work. Excuse And then kipp schools in presentation as an organization that owns their own buildings. In SEPTEMBER.
We did a deep dive into transportation, transportation systems in facilities, infrastructure, and funding. Again, there was a presentation from ips and their transportation folks. Again, same thing. They prove they provide a lot of transportation for their innovation network schools on the transportation for their traditional schools. There are some of their innovation that were schools that do not opt into transportation from IPs. Many of them do. There was a presentation from victory prep schools which does not utilize IPs is transportation model, but rather runs their own. What they refer to as a as a a hub and spoke model where they do pickups at particular locations. Usually a large parking lot to take kids to their schools. Some of them go
to One school that of the best. They can have the school. But so victory. College Prep in a presentation and then permit schools a presentation and they they provide minimal transportation for their students. So there's a wide variance of how transportation works and all the different models we've been looking at in OCTOBER. There was in in this room, a discussion on governance models. And that is who runs the schools is that school board he's in a hybrid system, isn't a mayoral appointed system. And so we have presentations from Washington, D.C., schools. And the Denver Public School system, Paul kind. Deputy mayor for education from the city washing dc presented their model, which is a mayoral dominated model. There are. 2 functioning organizations, dc
charter schools and dc public schools, the head of dc Public schools is or the chancellor is Lewis Ferebee. Former ips superintendent going blank on the name of the head of the dc charter schools. But they both ultimately report directly to the mayor. There are some elected entities within that. But that is make Merrill dominant model Denver public schools, which is a school system that really was several years ahead of Indianapolis with regards to innovation models presented. How they run a vibrant charter system and vibrant traditional public school system under a model school board. And I should brought a bottle of water with me. So we spent 2 and half hours listening. Those 2 models questions from the eye on members and so that we have our next meeting on NOVEMBER.
19th kind of subject matter to be determined, probably in this building. I Indicate to you that each of those meetings we've had over an hour, usually an hour and half of public comment. So if you think of the span of those meetings. They we've had well over 6 hours of public comment during the meetings of local Education alliance. So has spelled out in House enrolled Act 15, 15. We will recommendations to legislative council among others. By DECEMBER 31st. 2025 on series of recommendations. You're Goodman. Thank you. We will report out by DECEMBER 31st. My goal is to not actually work on New Year's Eve so we MAY do it on DECEMBER. 30th. Regarding government facilities, transportation school, accountability. That report will go to legislative council and to the secretary Education. And I'm going to take another Thank you. Lots of information. I was reading
a lot. Thank you for the presentation. I want to open up to my colleagues. There are any questions or I know we don't have we don't have all of the information. We're not ready for recommendations, but with questions Councilor Perkins, thank you, MADAM Chair, and thank you, Michael, you know, kind of sharing with us. I know that the committees also engage in currently in community conversations, one of which was held yesterday. My understanding from the media, there's at least 2, if not 3 more communications, community conversation before the end of year. You alluded to what is due by the end of year this year. Would that be a list of recommendations to the state legislation from this committee? And can you talk a little bit? I know it's preliminarily it's preliminary. About kind of what what areas are you
looking make recommendations? So what I would say that the Indianapolis Public Schools board, he's actually announced they're listening sessions. So the listening session, the first one was last night was by the IPs school board to their constituencies, which, by the way, happened coincide that I constituencies except the people that are on that group are appointed. So they've got as you didn't they've got 3 listening. Sessions and there they will take that information and presented to the aioli am sure. And in due course to say here's what heard from our constituencies so that that is independent of the aisle. The a's really what I'm trying to say. The as I free 15. 59 go into detail as is instructed by the state legislature to review governments and and ask questions and provide guidance
to say we think here is, you know, having look that we've looked at multiple cities, we're ought to cities in. One is a mayoral control model. One is a school board model. Both have 5 right, charter public charter school systems operating doing well and vibrant public system. Public school system. Denver is a traditional school board model. Both the fam the presentations by both of those said here are the strengths of our models here, the weaknesses of our models. And we make all these decisions about education. Sometimes in a politically volatile environment. So governments a question about transportation and how do we provide fair and equal access across the system. Both public charter schools and traditional public
schools from a transportation model. As for not quickly as possible and facilities and and how do we utilize the facilities to the maximum possible? How do we together to if there are questions about Co-location, if there are questions about occupancy, when we are AUGUST meeting was held it and want the schools and the question about utilization buildings came up a lot schools is a. Innovation network And and the leader of that school said, if you look just at the numbers, we're under. Occupancy but were bursting at the seams. Many of the numbers aside to school buildings were signed 2025 years ago. And we're making I'm speaking on behalf of leader, had a latte. We're making decisions about bringing counselors and and
and other things. Sometimes that changes the population of the school to provide services. So there are recommendations about facilities that will be made both how we run facilities, but things to consider to make sure buildings are being utilized to the best possible account given as one of our Ali. I only members said revenue constrained environment. Thank you. Thank you. For the clarity around the community, conversations so I mean, yes, it's having conversations with the community. Is it the plan off the iaea to have any community conversations? Is that a part of the charge? Well, the all of the meetings have been conducted in public settings. All of presentations, all the
data, the large file folder that data has has has been available. Both in written paper form. We try to minimize impact on trees, but also available electronically. We have as the chair alluded to, we're still in some early say just we don't have recommendations yet. I unpaid to help keep the program on time and and and under budget if you know the mayor. But I'm also paid to not have opinions on things but to give some guidance. So I think is we as you see the recommendations to start coming together, that there will be ample opportunity for community give input. Thank Haven't worked in the dc system both on both sides, both as a principal of a charter school. Is the principal of a public school in dc knowing how that system has evolved over the last 25 years currently serving the
residents of the ca. I'm glad to hear that. That was some of the models that you looked at. I know one of the conversations and one of the concerns that we oftentimes hear from our constituents around the conversation around education and charter schools in Marion County who is authorized to charter schools in Marion County. So the question for me, it is is that a part of the discussion all about the charter and agencies has authority to so grant taught us a very calm. It is. It has been part of the discussion, particularly from a public comment perspective. But isn't it is ultimately part of the discussion what I would what I would say is, as you've heard the eye on members and they're right again, 2 things. I'm I'm not a voting member. I'm trying to keep the trains running on time and 2, as I said, I'm
really paid to not have an opinion, but but the the words I've heard in forums for my members. Other people giving public testimony. Other presenters from our 2 communities is the ways in which you create cohesiveness rather than chaos all the schools. And so that conversation has come up in almost every meaning council. Thank You know, prior to the legislation making the decision to empower the mayor to put this team together. You know, I call authored a a article to the community. Just say that I believe that this decision needs to be local and so is a part of me that celebrates opportunity for those of us live in Marion County to help too decide the future and craft a future for public education in Indianapolis beyond so side. I
do appreciate that. I will also say that I've also made it clear that has been my position that only entities in Marin County should be able to charter schools in Marion County. They should not chart an agency outside of the county Grand charter school. And I know that friction there with some of charter school for these. But I want to say that for the record and even as you're considering whatever the recommendations are, that will end up going to to the state legislators by the end of this year that that's that's my position will continue to push or thank you for your Thank you for engaging Cancer rates. Thanks, MADAM Chair Michael, thank you so much for the presentation. So clear, easy to understand. I've been able to attend some of those meetings and it just
job right with what you said. Have a couple quick questions. If that's okay. First we took a look at the Denver school system took a look at dc school system. Talk about transportation there. Was there real clear and superior method that they used to make transportation efficient. As we take a look at that being one of the bigger parts of this conversation for the creation of repeat. The question I have a real simple answer. I think that 100. Did you guys learn a lot about? Transportation between public and charter and the innovation schools. Short answer is. No because dc public schools in dc charter schools do not provide transportation. So we had a model. I I don't mean flippantly. We have one model says essentially we have a pretty well built out public
transportation system, the Washington scene, if you I've lived there twice in my life, it's a pretty well out. Pretty reliable system. And we look to our our children, our families, to get their kids and they haven't. DR. You can probably attest. They have pretty walkable neighborhood schools. I mean, they do with some saying challenges us. Denver, on the other hand, is a pretty vibrant system that that both blends in with Denver public transportation system and their school system. But but while we've had those 2 organizations come and present, we've looked at 10 to 12 different school systems for school organizations or communities and looked at how they're different. Transportation systems are run. Some are independent transportation systems, summer run by their school systems. Some are that
the Denver is a model where it's essentially a service provided to their charter schools that they pay on a per pupil basis. Thanks a lot for as having taken ride and seeing some of the redundancy and overlap our current city set up for transportation for charter and public schools. It would it would appear that that's a great opportunity for more efficient coordination. I believe that, you know what, today's technology, I think we can find some solution there. The other question is after DECEMBER 31st, what happens to the only a light? What happens to the alliance? Well, eye, as I said, the only makes a recommendation actually makes recommendation to the Legislative Council and to the head State Department of Education, Legislative Council becomes kind of the important function because in the legislature will. And this
driven by the speaker. That's significantly legislature. Look at the series of recommendations in the determine whether they want to sponsor some language that will then begin implementing the recommendations. With or without modifications for piece of legislation, then come back to the city. You know that I'm not here to speak on behalf of the speaker of the House, but as you as you make recommendations for implementation and they decide, yes, we want to do that. You envision, I think and implementation process been established by legislation if they decide to take it up this year. But the alliance will no longer be a part of those decisions that happened over and the General Assembly. Correct? Correct? Yeah. The old lines usually go
away those waves of just 3 Any has a 2 quick Nats. Want to underline what this is just a comment. What time counter Perkins said? I think the the authorize or thing is a huge problem. Going back to win. I first heard on the council and approved Charter's. I can see right then it was a problem because it. The mayor. Should be able to be in a position of setting policy. And having the ability to pull levers on transparency in goal, setting. But instead we're going contend with multiple operators who don't always have the best interest Marion County are, in my opinion. So having multiple authorize there's is a huge problem. If you want to have accountability and accountability goes to the mayor and the measure
accountability, period. And I know you don't you do this legislation and you don't know the answer to this question, but I don't understand why when we have these topics all the time. And this comes to us from the General Assembly. Why is the only area the focus on ips? What do you have an opinion on why they don't say other parts of Marion County or other parts of Indiana that have the same pressure to make these changes are to conform with what they're advocating. You might have missed part where I said I'm paid to not have any I know. But I'm I'm I'm paid to try to press you to express or you know, what I would say is on on OCTOBER 19th I celebrated my 29th wedding anniversary through 29 years of wedded bliss, learned
to have opinions and keep them to maybe that's a discussion for a MAY be offering up. Council Thank you, MADAM Thank you, MR. O'connor for the presentation discussion. I to just went to my hat in the ring about supporting. You Mary County based only authorizing bodies. I think it's be our next but nation to have a small organization like Trine University deciding what's best for Marion County. i think that's a very poor model last night at the listening session, put on by there was a discussion of one solution might be restricting the boundaries of IPs and shrinking it. Is that come brought up formally in any of the discussions you want? One
thing I I failed to mention that should have and I apologize. So in this SEPTEMBER meeting we announced we're breaking that the organization into 2 task forces, one of transportation, one on facilities. With not doing not conduct and decision-making and private, but that those 2 task forces in fleshing out series of options for transportation and facilities in particular. And so even prior to that, so this discussion of can you look at ranking about or does in in this in this conversation, as I mentioned this, this the overarching theme, thank you all again to do it again this of revenue restricted environment right? We're asking questions about efficiency. How do we run more efficient transportation
system, how run more efficient facilities organization across the spectrum, education spectrum. And a question, not even a formal proposal for the question of does it make sense to look at that boundary and if you if you were to shrink it, so to say, does it make it more efficient? The know, it's come up with answers and that there's lots of complications. But it has been one of those things that is in the discussion in and out of both those conversations too. Appreciate that. And the one thing I guess I would just and I know you can have an opinion, but I'm pretty comfortable saying the opinion of the outlying townships is that would be blessed with me. And people would like torches and grab pitchforks if IPs started k just pitching off ballast in the way of students and expecting the township to
absorb Well, more money being diverted away from them to the charter system. I think that would political suicide. Thank you. MADAM Chair. And I think that comment goes to a counselor, Bertha saying about how the townships are quite bright. This conversation is ips only enough, the townships and that goes into there's a broader conversation, too. If we are changing boundaries and things like that. So appreciate the update. Counselor Perkins, thank you. MADAM Chair, just I just need to name a couple of things. Remember a presentation to this committee from the superintendent off IPs. Doctor Johnson that helped us help me
look backwards. To the history of creating this unit Gov. And the intentionality at that time to separate the school system. My colleague asked about why the conversation tends to be focused on ips, not our neighbors surround and IPs boundaries. And I think it speaks to the history off the city and Euna golf and how we have embedded within isis our systems. Internal systems of separation that continues to haunt us. Now I interpret from her conversation that ips by its formation doing, you golf was formed to wonder how much energy we spend thinking and talking about, which is why I believe my colleague year about the advocacy that would
happen. I don't know if I agree with the imagery that given the reality of what we're facing now as a community that folks are adamant about not thinking and talking about a combined educational system because embedded in that is some racism let me also you might not be able to share this because you're you're paid not to have an opinion. But at the end of the day, I think the community are to brace itself. For some recommendations around. Funded and a funding formula between charter and the public. The traditional public school sector around facilities. And how facilities are used and around transportation. Question around governance. He's still in the air. But at a minimum, but in the community ought to
know. But at some point before the end of this year, there might be some recommendation and the state Legislature, Mike's what struggle and wrestle with. How we look at funding for education going forward, what we're going to win the facilities that are currently on the ips rule authority. What are either under enrolled and we can argue back and forth on the enroll means in 2025. Versus 1960. And then what do we do about transportation? Because those things? Are foundation around some a systematic racism that we see within our community. Our students deserve to be transported to school, whether they go to school and live on the East side and go to school center township where they go to school on the West side deserved the transportation because if we know that the parents can afford and they
don't go to school. Thank you for the work that you're doing. We look forward to to the recommendation to the state. And thank you, counselor. That was sort I thought path was going was we have from Utica and from other just. Systemic it boundaries that have been drawn that we are trying to break those down. We have to figure out a way to do it and everyone needs to listen and come together for our children. Right? So for the education because we need to provide them the best opportunity that they can have. Does anyone else have any questions evening? Thank you again for your presentation. And it sounds like you have a 60 Ish days of hard work. Maybe 55 59. Good luck with that. We look forward to hearing, I guess what you have to say and
We are turned.