By KEIANNA DAVIS
Every morning, I look at my two children and feel so much pride. Especially during the week, when I see my joyful, bubbly daughter head out for elementary school, and my thoughtful, creative son start his day at his new high school. Watching them thrive this year is a beautiful blessing, but getting them into the right school environment was a journey that tested every ounce of my strength as a mother.
My name is Keianna and I attended several Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) growing up. I had a great IPS experience, and today, I am a proud IPS mom. Both of my children attend an IPS school. When I say I want public schools to win, I mean that with all my heart. I want them to win, but I want all kids to win. They should all be passing tests, not just some, because they all deserve an education – a good one at that.
However, if a family can’t find a good school to enroll their child in, they risk losing the promise that a quality education provides. This is actually a part of my story, which is why district decisions have left me a little disheartened lately, even though I am holding on to hope. I am deeply concerned about IPS’ decision to leave Enroll Indy.
Our family knows firsthand how difficult navigating school changes can be. A couple of years ago, my daughter’s school was closed down, and all students were automatically assigned to another IPS school way across the city. I had absolutely no say in the placement, and to make matters more difficult, that school offered no transportation. It was time-consuming and exhausting having her travel across town just to attend class.
This past year, it became clear that this assigned school just wasn’t the right environment for her. Meanwhile, my son was simultaneously preparing to start high school. Learning is a little different for my son, so as it was time for us to pick a high school, I needed one that truly met his needs.
Switching their schools was already a heavy decision. These were places both of my children had been at for a long time, but I knew it was time. I had to get it right because their academic success and emotional well-being were at stake.
As difficult as that choice was, navigating that journey was simpler because of Enroll Indy. It is not perfect, but it was extremely helpful. It let me compare different options side-by-side, even showing me more IPS options that were available right in my neighborhood, including some that I didn’t even know existed. Because of this tool, I was able to dive into each school academically and see more than pass or fail results of standardized tests. I could truly see how they were doing academically, what kind of growth the school was having in that area. This helped me to compare the all-around school resources and environment that both of my children needed. I don’t take the simplicity of that for granted.
Because of that streamlined process, my children are exactly where they need to be today. Where they are now is light years away from where we were when we were struggling with cross-town travel and a school that wasn’t meeting their needs.
But now, that vital tool is being pulled away. IPS’ plan is to move everything to PowerSchool, suggesting it is an existing platform parents already know. But here is my reality: I don’t currently use PowerSchool. For me, and many parents like me, this change doesn’t streamline things. Instead, it forces busy parents to learn a brand-new system from scratch, immediately.
I am a full-time working mother. I need simplicity, and I need access to the tools that help me connect my children’s academic needs. I understand that IPS is trying to figure out where to cut funding and they are in a difficult position. However, making enrollment processes more difficult for families should not be the answer because it will negatively impact students, who should always be the heart of all we do.
Being a mother is a beautiful blessing, but it isn’t always easy. We do what we must for our children. Complicating the enrollment process means fewer kids will get the services, academic access, and specific school environments they desperately need to bloom.
I love IPS, and because I want the district to meet parents where they are, I am speaking up. Leaving Enroll Indy is going to harm and discourage a lot of families. As an advocate, I know my voice matters, but I also know it isn’t the only one. A collective voice and a general consensus are what make us strong, and numerous families are asking for this decision to be reversed.
It is frustrating to feel like something so helpful is being taken away, but I remain deeply hopeful because I have seen IPS make hard choices for the sake of families and students in the past. IPS has the power to reverse this decision, and parents are collectively requesting it. IPS: Please choose the path that lifts our families up, keeps enrollment simple, and helps every single child in our community win.
Keianna Davis is a full-time working mother of two whose children attendmyhttps://myips.org. She is a proud IPS parent and advocate for making sure every child has access to a quality education. For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
