Rebuilding Stronger Meeting 2: Facilities

Guiding Principle: As IPS and its stakeholders work toward improving our facilities, we will do so grounded in the following Guiding Principle:

  • We will ensure facilities are high quality and inspiring for our students, and that unused facilities have a robust plan for reuse.

Reorganization Advisory Committee: Meeting 2 Recap

On March 17, the Rebuilding Stronger community process continued with the second meeting of the reorganization advisory committee. This meeting was a deep dive into the data about IPS facilities specifically. Working together, we want to assess: How should we best use our facilities so every child is in a building that is safe, warm and welcoming? 

Watch the full meeting HERE or keep reading below for a summary and a better understanding of facilities at IPS. 

Background: Where the Facilities Data Comes From

IPS contracted with an independent third-party consultant to conduct a Facilities Optimization Study of all IPS owned buildings in 2020. 

The building and site condition assessments were conducted by a trained architect, engineer or auditor who walked the building with a site engineer. 

The academic readiness and technology readiness assessments were conducted by a trained educator. The assessments were combined to create an overall facilities score.

Data Overview: What we Learned

  • We’ve got work to do to provide equitable, welcoming learning environments in every neighborhood: Only 31% of our buildings are in “good” condition; 21% of our buildings are in poor or worse condition.
  • We’ve got more work ahead: The average age of the district’s buildings is 61 years, which is similar to that of other urban school districts nationwide.
  • It would cost an enormous amount to do all the work we need to do: It would cost an estimated $466 million to bring all district buildings to a condition of “good” or better. 
    • For context, this is equivalent to:
      • the district’s annual operating budget of ~$500 million
      • the entire annual Capital Projects budget for 9 years
      • not having yellow bus transportation services for students for 12 years

Opportunities to Build From 

  • IPS has made significant investments in our technology infrastructure, which shows up in the data: 90% of our facilities are “good,” “new,” or “like new” when it comes to technology readiness.
  • We have good momentum to build from on the academic readiness of our facilities: 57% of our schools are rated “good” or better on this metric. 
    • This means they have the learning environment, space size, location and the appropriate storage and equipment for an ideal learning environment.

Join the Conversation: We need YOU to help us reinvent, rebuild, redesign!

  • Join us: The next meeting of the Rebuilding Stronger Reorganization Committee will take place on Thursday, April 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Francis W. Parker School 56. Future meetings will include deep dives into data assessments on student experience, enrollment and choice, and financial sustainability. 
  • Quick reminder: All committee meetings are open to the public. Can’t make this date? Meetings are also recorded and put on the IPS website on the Rebuilding Stronger page. 

For a full list of meeting dates, times and locations, click HERE.

What is the Reorganization Advisory Committee?

This committee is made up of parents and students, teachers and school leaders, Board members and other elected officials, community organizations and nonprofits, and the business community. This committee is tasked with reviewing and discussing assessments on facilities, student experience, enrollment and choice, and finances to provide IPS with feedback and recommendations. 

Meeting Materials & Videos

Last week we posted the IPS Facilities data with incorrect “Year Built” dates for the following schools. Their corrected dates are both provided below and also updated on the data sheet.
Marion Academy – 1938
John Marshall High School – 1968
Broad Ripple High School – 1923
Raymond Brandes – 1961
Arsenal Tech –  1912
Thomas D Gregg – 1987
Super School @ Frederick Douglass School 19 – 1968
PATH @ Stephen Foster – 1912
Center For Inquiry II (School 84) – 1928

We also found a formula error that impacted the rolled up utilization rates for quadrants and the district. The correct numbers are below and updated on the data sheet.