Indianapolis Public Education Corporation members announced by Mayor Hogsett

“Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news. Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the members of the new Indianapolis Public Education Corporation on Tuesday. The nine-member board represents a significant change to education in Indianapolis. The corporation will oversee buildings and transportation for district and charter schools, while also assuming the power to collect property taxes . The board will also create a system of accountability that officials could use to decide which schools close. These changes diminish the power of school boards including the elected Indianapolis Public Schools board. School boards will still have power over day-to-day policy decisions like setting their budgets and curriculums, and they’ll maintain the power to hire and fire the superintendent or school leaders for charter schools. The corporation’s members are: Hope Star, IPS board president. Ashley Thomas, IPS board member. Deandra Thompson, IPS board member. David Harris, president and CEO of Christel House International. Janet McNeal, president of Herron Classical Schools charter network. Dexter Taylor, director of Paramount Brookside charter school. Patricia Castañeda, vice president of Key Bank. John Hammond, partner at the Taft Stettinius & Hollister law firm. Edward Rangel, founding CEO of Adelante Schools charter network. Harris, who served as charter schools director under former mayor Bart Peterson and later helped found the Mind Trust nonprofit that helps launch charter schools, will serve as the IPEC board chair. The board was created by state lawmakers in this year’s legislative session following recommendations issued by the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, or ILEA, which met in the second half of 2025. The state law establishing the corporation says that three of its nine members must be charter school leaders, three must be IPS school board members, and three must be experts in areas related to the corporation’s work, such as capital planning or transportation. The board would assume key powers over finances and referendums beginning this year, and would begin managing school property and transportation in 2028. “These dedicated leaders possess the expertise necessary to ensure our schools are able to operate efficiently and serve our students equitably,” Hogsett said in a statement. “I believe in their combined ability to make the difficult – but important – decisions that will create a sustainable public school system in Indianapolis for years to come.” The city also extended its contract with Michael O’Connor of Bose Public Affairs , who led the ILEA through its brainstorming sessions last year. The original contract, paid for by the city with a maximum cost of $340,000, allowed the city to renew its agreement with O’Connor to help implement the ILEA’s recommendations. The extension runs through May and allows for an additional maximum of $200,000. The date of the corporation’s first meeting has not been announced. Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org .

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