(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana State Board of Education (Board) met today for its November business meeting and to consider a request from the West Clark Community School Corporation to reorganize.
The Board considered the request from West Clark Community School Corporation to take to local voters its plan for a division of its corporation into two separate corporations. Board members voted 10-1 to allow the measure to appear on the local ballot, which will likely occur in May 2020.
“It is critical that local voters determine whether West Clark schools reorganize,” said B.J. Watts, Board chair. “When a significant change like this is considered, the best people to decide what should happen are those who live there. I am glad to see that this will be decided at the local level.”
“Schools are the cornerstone of every community,” said Katie Mote, vice-chair of the Board. “Local voters should determine what is best for their schools and their community. I encourage local residents to carefully consider all data available to them as part of their decision-making process, including the financial information provided by the Department of Local Government Finance, and do what is best for their students.”
The Board considered additional issues at the meeting. Board members unanimously approved a resolution affirming the General Assembly’s instructions for Teacher Appreciation Grants to be distributed without delay, using the previous year’s data so that dollar amounts are not adversely impacted by 2019 ILEARN results.
The Board also approved meeting dates for 2020, which can be found here.
The Board will meet next month on December 4, 2019, in Indianapolis.
