The amendment to SB 373, Amendment 9, creates a plan for IPS sharing buildings and transportation systems with local charter schools. This further exerts legislator control over IPS, rather than the local elected board. It directs more resources away from public schools, further exacerbating the effects of sharing property tax, an unfunded mandate for raising teacher pay, the need for counselors to implement the new graduation pathways, and paying for textbooks.

In short, here are our issues with the amendment

• Legislators are trying to cut property taxes, but are proposing a new local taxing unit.
• This is developing strategies for consolidation by state legislators. If the pilot becomes statewide policy, it will take control away from locally elected school boards and ownership from local school corporations, no matter how full, how high achieving, or financially stable the schools may be.
• This is one-sided. Charter and private schools are not required to transfer buildings or buses to an appointed board.
• This is a step toward implementing these strategies for all public schools

Public schools simply won't have the resources to adequately serve our children where 90% of them attend.