Parent & Family Engagement Archives

I want IPS to strengthen partnerships

Parent & Family Engagement | 01/3/2024

Dontia Dyson IPS parent

I spoke at the IPS board meeting in December because I want to see the IPS board create a values statement that details how IPS can deepen and strengthen partnerships with our public charter schools. We are so much stronger when we work together.

WATCH MY TESTIMONY HERE:

READ WHAT I ASKED IPS LEADERS

Good evening Superintendent Johnson and IPS board members,

My name is Dontia Dyson and I am an IPS father. My son attends Matchbook Learning and is in kindergarten. My youngest son will attend the same school when he is of age. My daughter previously attended this school as well as Longfellow –she is now in high school.

I have stood at this podium several times over the past few years. At times I have advocated for our innovation schools to have equitable funding. Other times, I have advocated for you to grow schools that are closing the opportunity gap. I have advocated for more funding and resources for SPED students and staff.

I am here tonight with a request that I think touches nearly everything I have ever advocated for – something I know many parents are asking you to consider.

I see that this district is doing some excellent and innovative things – I see many of our public charter schools doing the same – and I want to see this board create a values statement that details how IPS can deepen and strengthen partnerships with our public charter schools. We are so much stronger when we work together.

It shouldn’t be public charter schools versus IPS schools. At the end of the day—what truly matters is that every student in Indianapolis gets a great education –gets an equitable education. The debate over public school type is causing friction where there needs to be collaboration.

I understand attempts to partner have had bumps in the road at times – but I also think we need to put the past in the past. We need to do whatever it takes to move forward. We must reconcile for the sake of the kids.

We should all be striving to ensure every school is a great place for our kids. We should all want to learn from schools that are doing great things—closing opportunity gaps –and providing a world-class curriculum for our students. We should all want to learn from the school doing the best for our SPED students and ELL students –regardless of the school type. We should be partnering with, growing and learning from schools that are closing the opportunity gaps.

We truly are better when we work together. Please create a statement that spells out how IPS plans to strengthen our partnerships with public charter schools.

Thank you.

The power of believing

Current Events & News | 12/21/2023

LaToya Tahirou Parent and longtime Stand Indiana volunteer

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is witnessing the power of believing. Whether it’s a child’s joy from their belief in the magic that comes with this time of year, or a parent’s focus on the hope of what the New Year will bring – there’s a belief that powers us.

But when we don’t believe – in each other or in ourselves – it can drain us and make it hard to find hope. I was a parent who didn’t believe in my ability to advocate and make a difference.

I knew my kids were not getting what they needed in their schools, but I didn’t think I was educated enough or the right person to push for changes. I didn’t know the power of my personal story. But those days are over thanks to my hard work and the support of Stand for Children Indiana.

Thanks to the training, coaching and compassion of my “Stand family,” I believe I am more than enough to lead the change I seek in our schools and community. I have made advocacy a top priority, and we’re seeing critical improvements by pushing the system to truly put kids first.

As this year comes to a close, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. It is through donations that Stand Indiana is able to help parents like me believe in the innate power and gifts we hold inside ourselves to stand up and push for more just and equitable public schools.

DONATE TODAY

If you’re unable to donate but have two minutes, please consider posting this donation page to social media: https://donate.stand.org/a/c3-iN

I hope you have a warm and peaceful holiday season and a Happy New Year.

I’m speaking up because I know that all IPS kids can achieve

Access to High Quality Schools | 11/2/2023

Gregory Henson IPS Parent

I know firsthand what is on the other side of not getting a great education that sets you up for success. I know what it is to work multiple jobs and still struggle to pay bills. I know how hard it was to get my life back on track.

I went to an IPS high school, and I dropped out my junior year. I went down a path in the name of survival but eventually found my way back to solid ground. I went back to school and received my diploma after my daughter was born. It was both incredibly hard and incredibly rewarding.

My daughter is now an IPS student.

As a parent, I want to see the opportunity gap close in IPS because I want my daughter to have a better life than I had. I don’t want her to struggle—to have to work as hard. I want her to be more successful at a younger age. I want her to graduate with a great education and go on to fulfill her dreams.

But more than just for my daughter, I believe that all kids in the IPS district deserve an equitable education.

There are schools here in Indianapolis that are doing a better job of closing opportunity gaps and I hope IPS will look at those examples and decide to partner with them or grow their models.

If we don’t close this gap, we are handing our kids right on over to the streets. We are inviting the school-to-prison pipeline. Closing the opportunity gaps in the IPS district would not only help end the cycle of poverty, but it would also help our community thrive. Closing the opportunity gap gives our children something incredible. It gives our children and our community hope.

If you also want IPS to close the opportunity gap by growing proven schools, please join me and add your name to this petition before it closes.

ADD YOUR NAME

All children are capable of amazing achievement in the classroom. It comes down to the opportunities provided by our public education system.

view the data

Watch what I asked IPS leaders

Access to High Quality Schools | 11/1/2023

Cristal Salgado Parent

As a parent and a community member who loves this city and cares about the kids in Indianapolis, I decided to speak at the IPS Action Session in October. I shared my story with IPS leaders. I asked them to grow the schools that work, schools like the one my son attends. I know that by partnering with the programs that work, opportunity gaps can be closed.

JOIN ME: ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS PETITION

Watch what I asked IPS leaders:

Read my speech

Good Evening IPS board and Superintendent Dr. Johnson,

My name is Cristal Salgado, and I am a community member who loves this city and cares about the kids in Indianapolis. I heard that tonight you’ll be sharing school performance data – I hope that includes talking about the schools in our city that are closing the opportunity gap. I think sharing this data proves there are people in this room who believe there can be a change. I also believe there can be a change, so I want to thank you and say I hope you use this data to grow schools that are getting equitable results for kids.

My son is now in the 8^th grade and attends a charter – one of the school models that is doing a better job of closing the opportunity gap compared to most in Marion County. Most of the kids at his school live in the IPS district.

Before he attended the school he does now, when my son was in the 6^th grade and the beginning of 7^th grade, he was bullied. He was struggling with his homework and falling behind. I tried to talk to his school and teachers several times. I did everything I knew and when nothing worked, I decided to change his school.

Now my son is doing well. He is more confident. He gets his schoolwork done. He’s talking about college for the first time ever. He’s thinking about his future and has hope for his future. This is the type of education I think all our kids deserve.

I drive my son 30 minutes to school and 30 minutes back from school every day. I know not all parents can do this – which is why I hope to see this district grow the schools that are closing the opportunity gap. When I see that only 5.4% of Black students and 8.3% of Latino students in this district passed both sections of the ILEARN, it makes my heart hurt. It is so sad to hear these numbers knowing my son’s experience and how different it could be. I know that by partnering with the programs that work, opportunity gaps can be closed. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.

Press play to watch why I want IPS to grow schools that work

Access to High Quality Schools | 10/25/2023

Dontia Dyson Parent

I want my children to have an equitable education because it is something all kids deserve. Because I know there are schools here in Indy doing a much better job of closing the opportunity gap, I hope that IPS looks at those schools and partners that can get results for kids like mine.

JOIN PARENTS: ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS PETITION

There is not an achievement gap, there’s an opportunity gap because ALL kids can achieve. It comes down to the opportunities provided by our public education system. As a parent, I want IPS leaders to do everything they can to close the opportunity gaps I see. I want them to partner with schools, no matter the type of school, when it means kids like mine will get a fair shot. I want them to grow the schools that are working.

Add your name to this petition if you agree that IPS should look at the data and then grow the models that are proven. Our kids deserve schools that are equitable and get results.

All children are capable of amazing achievement in the classroom. It comes down to the opportunities provided by our public education system.

view the data

I want to see the IPS district and all its students succeed

Parent & Family Engagement | 10/17/2023

Shawanda Tyson Parent

It is not a secret that there are opportunity gaps in the IPS district, but I believe if we grow the schools that are working, we can begin to close those gaps. I believe IPS can be a district where all students achieve no matter their race or income level. Having a district free of opportunity gaps starts with acknowledging the schools, regardless of type, where students are on grade level and having a plan in place to grow those models.

If you agree, I hope you’ll join me and sign this petition today.

ASK IPS TO GROW SCHOOLS THAT CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP

Too many IPS students don’t have access to high-performing schools that are closing the opportunity gap. Together we could change that.

Please add your name to this petition that is asking IPS leaders to grow the schools that are getting dramatically better results for Black and Brown students. Closing the opportunity gap is good for everyone.

No student is perfect, no school is perfect, no parent is perfect—but if we invest in the growth of models that work, we can begin to close the gap and aim even higher for the sake of Indianapolis students.

In September I asked IPS leaders to share data that highlights the public schools in our city that are closing the opportunity gap, regardless if those schools are IPS schools or local public charters, by the IPS Action Session in October. Watch my video here.

Change only happens if we keep showing up

Parent & Family Engagement | 10/6/2023

Sherry Holmes IPS parent

As a parent, all I want is for my kids to have what I didn’t have, which is why I have spent years advocating for IPS leaders to grow schools that are closing the opportunity gap.

Join me by signing this petition asking leaders to grow proven models.

My children’s IPS school has a lower opportunity gap compared to many, but I didn’t know that when I picked their school. I feel lucky they attend one of the schools that has a much higher percentage of Black and low-income students testing on grade level, but I wish more parents could send their child to any IPS school and know that it was succeeding at closing the gap and helping our kids thrive.

Sadly, that’s not the case for most families in the IPS district. But there is good news: There are schools here in Indianapolis that are doing a much better job of closing the opportunity gap. These are schools that could be replicated under the district umbrella if district leaders decide to form strategic partnerships and grow data-proven models.

At the September IPS Action Session, several parents asked IPS leaders to share data on some of these schools. My hope is that with this data, district leaders will do the right thing and form partnerships with models that are proving all kids can succeed. My hope is that one day IPS kids can attend any school and get a great and equitable education.

I am calling on IPS to partner with public charter schools or any local public school when it means delivering better educational opportunities for Indianapolis children. I believe there is no higher priority than increasing access to school programs that are working for children of color and low-income students.

If you believe this too, please sign this petition asking IPS leaders to grow the schools that are working for historically underserved students.

ADD YOUR NAME

All children are capable of amazing achievement in the classroom. It comes down to the opportunities provided by our public education system.

view the data

Our kids can’t wait

Parent & Family Engagement | 09/29/2023

LaToya Tahirou Parent

Over two years ago, I posted this video. In it, I talk about the opportunity gap in IPS and why I want to see more just and equitable schools. Since then, two of my children have started attending one of the schools in our city that is doing a much better job of closing the opportunity gap. My understanding of how important it is to close the gap has only grown.

Last night, I spoke to IPS leaders at the Action Session. I requested they share data about the schools that close the opportunity gap in October. Watch my video from last night here.

Today, I also want them to do something about it. I want them to feel what I feel when I see that only 5.4% of Black students in IPS passed both section of the ILEARN and allow that heartbreak to push them to grow schools that are working for children of color and low-income students.

Please join me in asking IPS leaders to grow schools that work and close the opportunity gaps we’ve experienced for decades now by adding your name to this petition.

Too many kids are failing and too many kids aren’t getting an equitable shot at success. I will no longer accept the status quo because our kids deserve more. Our kids not getting a great education affects our whole community.

I know IPS leaders care, but we need them to act in the best interest of Indianapolis kids and grow data-proven schools. If you agree, please add your name to this petition today. Our kids can’t wait.

ADD YOUR NAME

I asked IPS leaders to share opportunity gap data

Access to High Quality Schools | 09/29/2023

Shawanda Tyson Parent

At the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Action Session, I asked district leaders to transparently share the data that highlights public schools in IPS boundaries that close the opportunity gap, regardless of school type.

I want them to share this data in October because I know that we can partner together and learn from this data. It is so important for us to not only look at the schools that are equitably educating Black and Brown students, but for us to do something about it.

Watch my remarks here:

JOIN ME, ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS PETITION THAT ASKS ips LEADERS TO CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP

I want IPS leaders to close the opportunity gap

Access to High Quality Schools | 09/29/2023

LaToya Tahirou

Last night, I spoke at the IPS board meeting. During this meeting, I requested IPS leaders share data about schools in our city, not all of which are IPS schools (but all are public schools), that are doing a much better job of closing the opportunity gap. I also asked them to take action and create a plan to partner and grow schools that are seeing much better outcomes for Black and Brown students.

ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS PETITION IF YOU SUPPORT IPS LEADERS GROWING SCHOOLS THAT WORK

Watch my speech to the IPS board here:

View data about the opportunity gap in our city here:

This is not the first time I have asked IPS leaders to close the opportunity gap. For years, parents like me have been asking IPS leaders to use data to drive decisions that can help grow schools that working for Black and Brown children. If this data tugs at your heart, please join me in being a part of the solution. The more people who sign the petition, the more likely IPS leaders will act.

ADD YOUR NAME