House Bill 1423 would reshape the future of public education in Indianapolis — and not for the better.

This proposed legislation would strip power from the locally elected IPS school board and hand it over to a new, unelected entity: the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC), a nine-member board controlled by the mayor. If passed, HB 1423 would put critical decisions about school funding, transportation, facilities, and even student enrollment into the hands of a mayor-appointed group — with no requirement that they listen to the families and teachers most affected.

We all want a stronger public school system, whether our kids attend traditional IPS schools, charter schools, or innovation schools. But HB 1423 is a rushed, top-down solution that threatens the autonomy and accountability of both district and charter schools. Charter leaders would lose the flexibility that defines their model, while IPS would lose democratic oversight altogether. That’s not reform — it’s consolidation of power without community input.

This bill also fails to address key problems it claims to solve. It doesn’t create shared systems for special education, doesn’t define vague terms like “vulnerable student populations,” and doesn’t clarify how facilities owned by nonprofits will be managed. What it does do is centralize control and sideline the voices of parents, teachers, and voters.

Indianapolis students deserve a public education system that’s built to last — not one steamrolled through the legislature. Any plan for our schools should be shaped with the community, not imposed on it.

We urge Indiana lawmakers to vote NO on HB 1423. Let’s slow down, listen to educators and families, and build a plan that reflects the needs of all students — not just the vision of a few.

Sign this petition to demand transparency, equity, and real community leadership in Indianapolis schools.