Category: Current Events & News

Last Monday, the Indiana General Assembly reconvened for the 2023 legislative session. This year is a budget year, which means the session will be longer than it was in 2022. Over the next four months, lawmakers will create Indiana’s two-year state budget.

Throughout this legislative session, Stand for Children Indiana will be focusing on the issues advocates like you said mattered most:

• Ensuring our public schools are equitably funded and that the school funding formula considers low-income and traditionally underserved students as well as our SPED and ELL populations.
• Advocating for our public schools to be equipped with the curriculum and best practices in teaching reading that aligns with scientific research as our state faces a literacy crisis.
• Supporting the governor’s agenda item to increase the number of young people applying for 21st Century Scholarships.
• Ending some of the high costs and fees of our juvenile justice system that disproportionately burden low-income families and increase the time youth remain under court supervision.

Thank you for your continued input and support. Look for more details on these issues (and more!) in the coming weeks and be sure to follow Stand Indiana on social media for new ways to get your friends involved.

Today is #GivingTuesday and we need your support! Will you donate to support our work in 2023? 

Every dollar raised will go towards: 

• Providing families with training and resources to use their voices for change and to champion their students’ educational opportunities.
• Ensuring our public schools are equitably funded and historically underserved communities are getting what they need to deliver a high-quality education for all.
• Advocating to address the literacy gap in our state by ensuring schools and teachers are equipped with curricula and training rooted in evidence-based practices.
• Supporting efforts to increase access to college and attainment of career credentials in growing sectors of our economy. We know this can happen through increasing the number of young people participating in the 21st Century Scholarship program.

If you’re unable to give but still want to support our work, consider sharing the below on social media today:

Your gift empowers parents to demand that access to a high-quality public education is possible for all. If you’re able this #GivingTuesday, I recommend a donation to Stand for Children Indiana: https://donations.stand.org/c4/IN/ If you’re not able, please share my post!

We have a lot to accomplish together! Thank you for your support.

As a parent, I know our voices become stronger and can make a positive impact when work together. This year has proven that. 

Last legislative session, over 6,000 of you joined parents like me and asked our legislative leaders to oppose a dangerous bill that would have stifled our children from receiving an accurate education. This year I’ve seen thousands more join this movement in the name of equity and justice for Indiana kids. 

Maybe this year you signed a petition, emailed a school board member or participated in a workshop. Perhaps you donated or volunteered your time. No matter which actions you took, I want to thank you for being part of a movement dedicated to supporting Indiana children and teachers. It’s because of you that parents like me feel comfortable raising our voices. It’s never been more important that we address racial inequity in our schools and ensure all our children receive a high-quality education. 

This work is made possible because of you, and the entire Stand family is so grateful to have you be part of this movement.

We hope you have a healthy, safe and peaceful holiday this week.   

Despite your advocacy, and despite the heroic parent voices who have spent years fighting for IPS to make data-driven decisions focused on closing tragically large opportunity gaps in our schools, the IPS board on Thursday approved a strategic plan that fell well short of what our children need. I know it’s frustrating when it feels like our leaders don’t listen.

Personally, I joined Stand for Children nearly 10 years ago to be an ally to parents of color, who have been underserved and underappreciated for generations when it comes to decisions made by our K-12 public school system. And to have this result, it brought tears to my eyes. Because the parents and advocates at Stand – and especially their children – deserve better.

But as the hours have turned to days, my frustration has transitioned to hope and a strong resolve that the changes parents have been fighting for are still 100% achievable. Here’s why:

• Parent advocates at Stand are among the best leaders I’ve ever seen. They inspire me every day, and they will inspire IPS leaders to eventually listen and act on their ideas.
• I believe this IPS board has members who are listening and are committed to evolving this plan in its implementation – especially when it comes to growing the top schools for Black and Brown student achievement.
• And we will welcome new leaders to the IPS board in January – three amazing women who Stand parents endorsed back in September. All of them expressed opposition to the IPS plan that was approved on Thursday.

Thursday’s vote is disappointing, but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s a moment in time. As Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” At the root of advocacy is the belief that things can and will change. My belief in our mission and the advocates I’m blessed to walk alongside has never been stronger. The fight for a more just and equitable IPS – for a district that truly serves the needs of ALL children – is still ahead of us.

Parents affiliated with Stand for Children Indiana spoke against Indianapolis Public Schools’ (IPS) Rebuilding Stronger plan at the district’s Action Session last night.  

 “I am speaking my truth, but I know many other parents, teachers, and community members have told you something similar to what I will — which is that the schools we choose to grow under this plan matter,” said IPS parent LaToya Hale-Tahirou. “And I cannot support your plan unless it includes growing data-proven models that are closing the opportunity gap. You’ve heard this before, but I need to say it again: Paramount has more Black students passing both sections of the state assessment than all IPS direct-run schools combined. I realize your plan mentions a potential partnership now, but it needs to be something more concrete.”  

Parents have been advocating nearly two years for the district to partner with and replicate schools that close the opportunity gap, specifically Paramount Schools of Excellence. Those who addressed the board last night called out the extent of their advocacy and the importance of selecting data-proven schools that work for all children.  

 “Even before this planning process started, many parents like me stood at this podium and made the clear request for IPS to grow models that are data-proven to close the opportunity gap for children who look like mine,” said IPS parent Sherry Holmes. “I’ve lost count of just how many times I’ve spoken in this room, or how many emails I have sent. What I do know is that it wasn’t just me. Many parents – Black and Brown families from across this district – showed up, held meetings with school board members, sent hundreds of emails – all asking for IPS to grow Paramount, one of the best schools in our state for Black and Brown student achievement.”  

As a mom of children who attend the Paramount Online Academy, I am asking the IPS district why they are not expanding this partnership with Paramount to serve more children who look like mine.

Paramount schools are averaging a 44.6% combined ILEARN passing rate for Black students. This is four times better than the state average for Black student proficiency. Despite evidence of Paramount getting solid results for kids of color, the IPS strategic plan does not recommend expanding Paramount. Instead, IPS leaders want to grow a school model that has among the largest opportunity gaps in the state.

Parents like me want IPS to halt their vote on the Rebuilding Stronger plan. They need to consider what is BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN before they move forward in growing a model that does not have a proven track record of success for ALL students.

We need you to add your name to our petition if you agree. The IPS board will vote on this plan soon. It’s so important we have a huge show of support for pausing the plan so IPS does not move forward with a proposal that will not serve all students.