Your vote matters.
We are a group of local parents, teachers and community members who care about Indianapolis Public Schools and believe in a more just and equitable district.
We know that the decisions made at the local level have a profound and long-lasting impact on our children’s safety, education and opportunity for life success.
That’s why we formed this committee to review candidates running to serve on the IPS board. Together, we evaluated all candidates for the IPS board and have made recommendations based on the candidate’s history of service and leadership in education, as well as the plans they are offering to improve IPS schools. We’re supporting these candidates because we know that creating strong, collaborative partnerships between families, teachers and education leaders is key to achieving a truly just and equitable IPS.
Because two of the three seats are running unopposed, we urge you to read about our findings and make an informed choice in the coming election, especially if you live in district three.
Your vote and your voice matters.
Sincerely,
IPS Parents and Grandparents
Our Values
At the beginning of the endorsement process, we decided as a group to make sure the IPS board candidates we endorsed shared our values as IPS parents, grandparents and educators. This meant ensuring the candidates we support are willing to put in the hard work to make our dreams for our kids a reality.
And above all, we wanted to make sure anyone who was running (or would be seated because they are running unopposed) would be committed to listening to IPS parents and hearing our requests and ideas for change.
Create a Just and Equitable IPS
We want to ensure IPS is a place where every student has an equitable opportunity to succeed and a high-quality school to attend. This requires supporting the growth of education programs that are working to close the opportunity gap, as well as ensuring that each school offers specific services aimed and helping students of all backgrounds manage trauma and get the supports needed to be successful. This also means schools implementing fair discipline practices and supporting children and families who do not speak English as a first language. In the end, many children in IPS are not getting the same high-quality experience as their more privileged peers, and that must be addressed.
Support Struggling Schools
We want to change the policies that have led to public schools in predominantly Black and Brown communities struggling for years with little help or additional support. This includes ensuring IPS schools are not only helping students achieve academically, but also working to proactively provide services needed to ensure children are healthy and feel supported both in and outside of the classroom.
Hire and Retain the Best Teachers
Our kids deserve the best and brightest teachers and those educators deserve to be paid what they’re worth. We specifically looked for candidates who are committed to raising teacher pay and hiring more teachers who look like the children they teach.