What Greg Ballard's Victory Means For Education

The City Of Indianapolis

A number of policy experts have said that Indianapolis’s traditional public schools have a major image problem with many residents.

A Greg Ballard victory in Indianapolis means more charter schools. His office is currently the only municipal authority in the country with the power to create and oversee new charter schools and Ballard has not been shy in declaring his intention to bring more to the city.

Here is an article from the Indy Star outlining Ballard’s main education platform.

Charter schools are the crux of the mayor’s education plan, and he wants to ensure they target specific needs. “One size does not fit all anymore,” he says. Successful charters, he says, will force other public schools to be more competitive to retain students.

Ballard’s strong pro-charter stance is unlikely to earn him any friends among the leadership at Indianapolis Public Schools. The district has already lost four schools to charter operators and, as WTHR reports, IPS Superintendent Eugene White is currently calling for state education officials to investigate claims that charter schools in Indianapolis are trying to force out students with low test scores.

Dr. Eugene White says many local charter schools do not provide services to special needs or homeless students. White held a news conference on the issue Monday morning. He questions the timing of charter schools that send many children back after schools are evaluated to see how much money is needed from the state.