Author: kmattas

I am pursuing my dreams because of the 21st Century Scholarship program

21st Century Scholars | 02/23/2023
Post author Eric Gomora
Eric Gomora 21st Century Scholar Recipient

Growing up, I never thought I would be able to attend college because of our financial struggle. Now, as a senior at IUPUI, I am still amazed I am doing it and know that I am pursuing my dreams because of the 21st Century Scholarship program and the teacher who told me about it in middle school.

Sadly, only 50% of eligible children are enrolling for this life-changing opportunity and I want to see that change.


This legislative session, there are a few bills that could streamline the process to make sure Indiana kids don’t miss their chance at becoming 21st Century Scholars. You can help make sure at least one of these bills passes by emailing key lawmakers today.

EMAIL KEY LAWMAKERS


Your email will only take a few minutes to send with this form, but it will make a difference!

Costs and fees don’t teach kids that they have a future

Youth Justice | 02/14/2023
Post author Dontia Dyson
Dontia Dyson Advocate

As someone who has experienced our youth justice system, I want to share my story –that explains why I support House Bill 1493 and why I spoke at the statehouse to offer my support for this bill.

In the 7th grade, I was pulled out of my classroom by the police because of unpaid costs and fees. I was too young to remember exactly what those costs and fees were, but as the police took me into the hall and searched me, the bell rang and everyone saw. It was my worst nightmare come true at that age. The embarrassment of that day followed me around for years. My peers were still reminding me of it through high school.

I was a kid and I wasn’t a bad kid – I just made an unfortunate choice in what looking back feels like an impossible situation.

My mom was livid that day. She felt it was unfair for a child to be taken from class and served a warrant for unpaid fees. What was my mom supposed to do? She was a single mom who could not pay. I didn’t have a job and I couldn’t pay.

Eventually, we went back to court and a judge dropped the cost. But it took time and the damage was done. I know my mom was relieved financially because we didn’t have that cost hanging over us, but I was still facing embarrassment at school and the image I had of myself was altered.

I was innocent before that day. But I was treated like a criminal after. My teachers and my peers saw me differently. As a result, I started to see myself differently too.

My point in sharing my story is simple: Expensive and unaffordable costs and fees don’t teach kids that they have a future. It takes small, petty crimes and holds kids’ hostage. It sends a message to kids, especially kids whose families can’t afford it, that the mistakes they made will follow them forever. I never want any of my children to face what I did or have to overcome it.  

Having experienced court fees as a child, the high amount and what can happen when they go unpaid, I know firsthand that they hurt kids. It negates the purpose of rehabilitating kids, which is what our youth justice system should do. I hope to see House Bill 1493 pass because it would eliminate some of the costs and fees for kids facing our juvenile justice system.

Statement: Stand for Children Indiana appreciates delayed IPS vote

Media | 01/28/2023
Post author
Stand for Children

Justin Ohlemiller, Stand for Children Indiana Executive Director, released the following statement today regarding the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Board of School Commissioners delaying the vote on the proposed operating referendum:

“Advocates and parents affiliated with Stand for Children Indiana appreciate the decision by IPS Superintendent Dr. Johnson and the board of commissioners to delay the operating referendum vote today.

“We know this was a tough decision to pause the referendum. Dr. Johnson’s comments this morning were on point: we have a complex education system that doesn’t always prioritize the best interests of children, and we have to come together to address the myriad challenges.

“This move today by IPS leaders will allow the tough but critical community conversations to happen to get this plan right.

“Stand for Children and our network of parents are committed to supporting IPS and its leaders as the hard work continues to create a plan that funds our public schools equitably and prioritizes closing opportunity gaps.”

Join me in fighting for a better funding plan for our IPS schools

Current Events & News | 01/19/2023
Post author
Stand for Children

The IPS board is moving fast on a plan to fund the district’s strategic plan, which impacts all of our children and our neighborhoods. The big concern: some schools and children are being unfairly treated in the plan.

The referendum, which would use my tax dollars and yours, would short-change some schools in the IPS network by nearly $1,000 per child. That’s millions of dollars that some schools won’t get. How is this fair? And how can we expect those schools to pay their teachers and prevent them from leaving for jobs in schools that have more money?

Please email the IPS board and ask them to delay any vote on the referendum until the funding is shared equitably.

No plan in our education system should determine winners and losers among our students.

Parents to IPS: Referendum should be shelved until major inequities are addressed

Media | 01/18/2023
Post author
Stand for Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 18, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS – Parent advocates affiliated with Stand for Children Indiana (Stand Indiana) asked the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board last night to continue delaying the proposed operating referendum until a plan to equitably share funding is presented.


The current proposal being considered by the IPS Board of Commissioners would give nearly double the funding from the referendum to direct-run IPS schools, leaving innovation schools in IPS with significantly less money. Innovation schools are IPS schools operated by non-profit partners. These schools serve a higher percentage of Black and Brown students, as well as a higher ratio of children from low-income backgrounds compared to IPS direct-run schools.


“The fact is more students of color attend our innovation and charter schools. But IPS’s plan would send nearly $1,000 less per child to innovation schools,” said IPS dad Dontia Dyson. “As a parent – and taxpayer – how can I support a plan that means my child might not benefit as much depending on the school they attend? How can I be expected to pay for a plan that picks winners and losers among our kids?”


Parent advocate LaToya Tahirou told the board that her experience as childcare provider provides a perspective that the board should consider when making its decision.


“[Being a childcare provider] has allowed me to love and care for kids who may not share my blood, but are still part of my family – part of my community,” Tahirou said. “When they are in my care, I would do whatever is needed to keep a child safe and [to support them] . . . Because every child is worthy of love and deserves our collective effort to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed.”


Tahirou continued, “We need a plan for this operating referendum that is founded on this core value: All children in our community are part of the IPS family, worthy of our love and our resources. Right now, the plan for this referendum picks winners and losers among our young people – all because of a label we place on the building they enter. This is not moral. And it’s not right.”


Stand for Children sent a letter to the IPS board in December signed by several parents, teachers and stakeholders asking for the board to hold off on any vote until all schools received an equitable share of the referendum proceeds. To date, the IPS plan still leaves a more than $900 gap per child between innovation schools and traditional schools. That gap equates to millions of dollars in additional money being sent to certain schools in IPS, while others are left to operate with less resources.

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About Stand: Stand for Children Indiana is a unique catalyst for education equity and racial justice, to create a brighter future for us all.

The legislative session has begun

Current Events & News | 01/17/2023
Post author
Stand for Children

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.

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STAND FOR CHILDREN INDIANA ISSUES STATEMENT ON IPS DELAYING REFERENDUM VOTE

Current Events & News | 12/15/2022
Post author
Stand for Children

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS – The following statement was issued today by Stand for Children Indiana’s Executive Director Justin Ohlemiller in response to the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board of commissioners removing the operating referendum from the meeting agenda tonight:

“We appreciate Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson and the IPS board for removing the referendum from tonight’s agenda. With a major investment like this, which taxpayers will be asked to pay meaningful dollars on the promise of improved opportunities for IPS students, it’s critical that we get this right. That means ensuring the funding is shared to benefit every IPS student equally, no matter what type of school they attend.

“There’s certainly more work ahead to address concerns that have been voiced these last few weeks. That work will hopefully be made easier by giving parents and community partners more time to ask questions and share feedback on the referendum. We look forward to the ongoing discussions between the district, parents, school leaders and community partners. We remain hopeful that changes can be made that will allow our organization to eventually get behind this major investment in IPS. The dialogue over the next few weeks will be crucial.”

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About Stand: Stand for Children Indiana is a unique catalyst for education equity and racial justice, to create a brighter future for us all.

PARENTS PRAISE IPS LEADERS FOR LANGUAGE JUSTICE POLICY

Current Events & News | 12/15/2022
Post author
Stand for Children

INDIANAPOLIS – Parents and community advocates affiliated with local education advocacy organization Stand for Children Indiana are praising district leaders for the language justice policy set to be voted on at the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board action session this evening.

Parents have been steadfast in their advocacy surrounding the need for schools to breakdown language barriers that prevent parents and students — especially immigrants— from fully realizing educational opportunity. Parents also raised the need for more cultural competency in IPS, accounting for the unique challenges that come with the immigrant experience. Parents believe this policy is a solid step in the right direction, and they applauded Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson and the IPS board for their commitment to better serving IPS families.

“Parents, including myself, have fought long and hard for a language justice policy,” said IPS parent Ana Delgado. “I am grateful with all my heart that the district took the time to hear our concerns and thoughts. Thank you for listening to us.”

“I truly appreciate IPS leaders for taking this step towards addressing gaps in serving the ELL community,” said Stand for Children Indiana organizer and IPS parent Carolina Figueroa. “I am proud of the community and IPS parents for speaking up and seeking this language justice policy. As long as we keep working together, we will be on the right path to create a more inclusive environment for our immigrant communities. Thank you IPS leaders!”

The policy, if approved, will:

  • Establish that IPS recognizes the impact of language differences and sees language justice as a key part of the district’s DEI values.
  • Set forth a process for IPS to create a plan to move toward language justice, which “is the practice of ensuring people can communicate effectively, understand information, and be understood using the language in which they feel most comfortable,” according to the IPS draft policy.
  • Establish a community taskforce to inform the planning process.
  • Call for annual updates on language justice from the superintendent to the board.

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About Stand for Children Indiana: Stand for Children Indiana is a unique catalyst for education equity and racial justice, to create a brighter future for us all.

Parents to IPS board: Pause on referendum until equity concerns can be addressed

Current Events & News | 12/6/2022
Post author
Stand for Children

INDIANAPOLIS – A group of parents, teachers and community advocates affiliated with local education advocacy organization Stand for Children Indiana have sent a letter to IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson and the Board of Commissioners requesting that they delay any action on the $800 million referendum until key questions and concerns can be addressed.

The letter states three clear reasons for delaying the vote:

  1. The district’s strategic plan, which the referendum will fund, still ignores the board’s own goals around Black and Brown student achievement by growing school models that actually feature increasingly large opportunity gaps while leaving out plans to scale data-proven public school models like Paramount.
  2. Innovation schools in IPS will get significantly less money compared to traditional schools, despite being part of IPS and serving district students. The funding gap means non-innovation schools in IPS would receive approximately $1,650 more per student.
  3. The significant tax increase to fund the referendum could have a disproportionate impact on low-income families in IPS – the very communities the district is trying to serve. There needs to be more study on the economic impact the referendum will have on those struggling to make ends meet as inflation remains at historic levels.

The letter also makes clear that the parents, teachers and grandparents who signed want to get to a place of supporting the referendum, provided their concerns are addressed:

“We are supportive of investing in our public schools. We believe in IPS and we want nothing more than this district to become the best in our state when it comes to student achievement,” the letter reads. “Some of us actively supported the 2018 referenda as a part of local advocacy group Stand for Children Indiana, which was the single largest supporter of that initiative. We want to get to a place of supporting this plan too. Our request is simply to slow this process down to allow for the public to appropriately review the referenda proposal and to also allow time to address the concerns we’ve raised . . .”

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Stand for Children Indiana is a unique catalyst for education equity and racial justice, to create a brighter future for us all.

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