The next innovation in education should be limiting the number of charter school authorizers operating in Indianapolis.
Currently, there are 11 different entities that can authorize charter schools in Indianapolis.
Organizations like Trine University based in Angola, Indiana ā over 100 miles away can significantly impact the educational landscape of inner-city Indianapolis through the authorization of charter schools.
For example, Trine University has authorized seven schools with six in the IPS district and a seventh planned for Pike Township but has received significant community pushback.
While thereās a lot that we still need to understand regarding the long-term efficacy and impacts of charters on a community ā charter schools are not going away.
While simply stating ācharter schoolsā outperform IPS is too simplistic of an analysis given that each charter is an independent school system ā there are certainly high-performing charter schools.
Candidly, parents are also exercising their prerogative to send their children to charter schools.
That is how school choice works.
But it seems fiscally irresponsible to continue to take the limited financial resources within the Indianapolis Public School district and to smear them across separate charter school systems within one district ā especially with virtually no constraints on the number of entities that can authorize charters schools in the district.
There are only so many students in the district.
But perhaps the main reason why there should be a limit on charter authorizers is that, according to an IndyStar analysis a third of Indy charter schools close.
Is it fiscally responsible to allow 11 different authorizers, mostly outside of Indianapolis the ability to divert limited public funds to unelected boards leading ventures that on average only last five years?
A report by the National Center for Charter School Accountability found that nationally 25% of charters schools close within five years but by year 20 the study found that 55% are closed.
As a former charter school board member of a school that had to close suddenly the trauma to the students, families, staff and community canāt be dismissed as āa feature of the system.ā
It is a problem which has a destabilizing impact on communities ā and too often mostly Black students, Black families, and the Black community.
Dismissing high closure rates as āaccountabilityā mistakes the role of authorizers who should be trusted to identify strong charter systems.
I think most education reformers understand that closing schools isnāt a positive outcome.
As research suggests that most charters close due to academic performance, low enrollment and financial issues, charter school authorizers should embrace several reforms.
That failed charter schools can āshopā authorizers ā losing their charter from one only to gain a charter from another authorizer must also be addressed.
There should be greater accountability for charter school authorizers. Authorizing too many schools that fail should impact the ability of authorizers to operate.
There should be a limit to the number of charter schools that can be authorized each year in a school district.
At this time, due to the existence of 11 authorizers there is virtually no limit to how many charter schools can be added into a district in any given year which impacts enrollments for all schools.
As a graduate of Washington Township schools, former charter school board member, donor to a charter school, vendor to IPS and parent that sends my son to a private school, I appreciate the desire to have high quality school choice options.
Charters can be a high-quality option, but unfortunately, we are trapped in a system that lacks appropriate systemic safeguards ā which potentially harms all schools in the IPS district.
The next innovation in education in Indiana needs to be greater accountability for charter school authorizers.
We should start with limiting the number of authorizers operating in Indianapolis.