School Board

Adopted by the IPS Board of School Commissioners on March 9, 2015

1. All IPS students can achieve their full potential, learn at high levels, and graduate prepared to succeed in school, career and life.
   • Preparation for success in college, career and life requires academic achievement, self and social awareness, life‐long learning skills, and hard work.
   • Success includes positively contributing to our society and participating in civic life.
   • It is immoral to allow race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status to limit student achievement.
   • Providing many school choice options helps families find the school best matched to their child’s talents, needs, interests, and unique learning styles.
2. Effective teachers and great schools are the key to students’ success.
   • The student‐teacher relationship drives success.
   • Effective teachers have the power to make decisions in the best interest of their students, and they take responsibility for student learning.
   • Every school has an effective principal.
   • Quality schools set clear expectations and high standards for all students.
3. All IPS schools must be great places to teach and great places to learn.
   • Effective teachers and principals are valued professionals.
   • Teachers and principals control and are accountable for what happens in their schools, and have the power to make decisions in the best interest of the students they serve.
   • Students learn best in schools that are safe, clean, nurturing and respectful environments.
   • Schools are diverse, vibrant and welcoming communities with strong academic, co‐curricular, and extracurricular opportunities.
4. The IPS Central Administration exists solely to support the work of teachers and schools, and must be a high‐performing organization.
   • All district functions are aligned to support and empower a system of autonomous schools that are held accountable to clear performance metrics.
   • The district demonstrates diversity, innovation and best practice at all levels of the organization.
   • District resources are allocated fairly and equitably among schools through the use of weighted student funding.
   • The district maintains efficient instructional and business systems that operate in a transparent and ethical way.
5. IPS families and the entire Indianapolis community have a shared responsibility for student success and will benefit from this success.
   • Families are our students’ first teachers, and schools provide a range of ways for them to participate in the education of their children.
   • We seek opportunities to connect schools, students, and families with services and other community/cultural assets.
   • We seek involvement and investment by all stakeholders in the community to broaden our students’ experiences and opportunities to engage in our city, state, and beyond.
   • Every family in Indianapolis has access to a high quality school regardless of where they live.