What does a school board do, anyway? The answer is changing for IPS and charters — here’s your guide.

“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. Big changes are coming to Indianapolis Public Schools and the power of its elected board. The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation , or IPEC, is a new public entity with a nine-member board announced on Tuesday . The corporation will have the power to determine property tax rates on behalf of both IPS and charter schools. It will also eventually be responsible for running transportation and managing IPS buildings for both school types. But the IPS school board — and the school boards of more than 50 charters within district borders — will still retain some powers over the day-to-day operations of schools. While the IPS school board manages traditional district schools, charter school boards oversee one school or multiple schools that are part of the same charter network. Charter schools that are part of the district’s Innovation Network are run by their charter school board and not the IPS school board. Lawmakers created IPEC to manage key aspects of both school types. State law dictates the roles and responsibilities of the IPS and charter school boards. Below is a breakdown of their major responsibilities, how board members are selected, and what rules may change with the creation of the new corporation. Who can serve on school boards and IPEC? The IPS board is a seven-member board elected by residents who live within IPS borders, with two at-large members and five members who each represent a district . Charter school boards — including those in the IPS Innovation Network — are not elected. Charter schools typically list their founding proposed board members in the application they submit to the authorizer, which must include a governance plan. Each charter school may have its own rules on board composition, including the number of board members, their term length, and the process for filling a vacant board seat. (The five Innovation schools that are not charters also have their own unelected boards.) Charter school boards are ultimately accountable to charter school authorizers, which approve new charter schools and have the power to revoke or not renew the contracts that allow charter schools to operate. Beginning in April, the only entities that can authorize charter schools within IPS boundaries are the mayor’s Office of Education Innovation, the Indiana Charter School Board, and the IPS school board, which has expressed interest in becoming an authorizer . An Indiana law adopted last year also requires charter schools receiving property taxes — nearly every charter in the city, excluding virtual schools and adult high schools that do not qualify for such funding — to have one member appointed by the mayor. Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Office of Education Innovation told Chalkbeat last year that Hogsett tapped existing members of the city’s charter school boards for those appointments. State lawmakers created IPEC earlier this year. It has a nine-member board appointed by the mayor. Three members come from the IPS school board, three come from the charter sector, and three are experts in areas related to the corporation’s work, such as facilities, transportation, or working with vulnerable students. What are the financial responsibilities of school boards and IPEC? The IPS board sets and approves an annual budget , and is required by state law to approve contracts above $75,000. But the new IPEC board will assume control of key financial powers previously held by the IPS school board. Most notably, the IPEC board will set the tax rates for residents living in IPS boundaries beginning in 2027, taking into account funding needed for charter schools as well. That means that future district budgets will need to be crafted based on the funding that it receives through IPEC’s formula — a funding source that IPS had historically exclusively controlled. And beginning this year, the IPS school board loses the authority to put a referendum for additional property taxes on the ballot . Instead, the IPEC board assumes that authority. The county auditor will then distribute property taxes to both district and charter schools through a formula that IPEC creates. IPEC will also assume the responsibility of issuing debt to fix school buildings throughout the district, a power previously reserved for the IPS school board. Although charter boards are also responsible for their school’s finances, they are less affected by the creation of IPEC than the IPS board. Charter boards approve and oversee the school’s annual budget, and control the state and federal funds the charter school receives. The charter school board can also apply for public or private grants, and also must submit an annual audit to the state. But because charter schools have historically not received property tax funds, charter school boards do not control property tax rates. What else are school boards and IPEC responsible for? The IPS board selects a superintendent to run the day-to-day operations of the district. The superintendent, in turn, makes employment recommendations to the board, which approves the hiring or firing of employees. The IPS board also sets policies that help guide the district, the superintendent, and IPS employees in their daily operations. These policies can include rules on transportation, homework, field trips, and athletics, for example. Similarly, charter boards can hire or dismiss school leaders and approve policies that help the school function on a daily basis — such as a hiring policy or a policy on electronic student devices. IPEC, meanwhile, will assume responsibility for transportation and buildings for district and charter schools in the 2028-29 school year. Charter schools can choose not to cede control of their buildings to IPEC, although they would forfeit a portion of property taxes by doing so. What powers will the IPS board keep, even with IPEC? The IPS board will still retain authority over many day-to-day district operations. For example, the IPS board will still set an annual budget for the district based on its state and local property tax funding. The board will also still retain control over the superintendent, oversee hiring and firing of employees, and set the policies that establish how schools run on a daily basis. When and where do school boards meet? Both the IPS board and charters are subject to the state’s Open Door Law , which requires the posting of every meeting at least 48 hours in advance at the district’s main office. The IPS board typically meets at district headquarters at 120 E. Walnut St., and has a calendar of upcoming meetings on its website . Many charter schools also post their upcoming board meetings on their website. The IPEC board is also subject to the Open Door Law, although information on its meeting schedule and location has not yet been made public. Correction: This story was corrected to reflect that the county auditor distributes property taxes. This story was also updated to reflect that IPEC will set property tax rates for IPS and charter schools. Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org .

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