Perspectiva Crítica

produces temporary or isolated

improvements in student

performance, without lasting,

systemic impact.”

106 Creating Opportunity Schools: A Bold Plan to Transform Indianapolis Public Schools

Despite these and other efforts, by the early 1980s IPS was still struggling. Following the publication of A Nation At Risk in 1983, reforming IPS became an even greater priority — as did school reform nationwide. Former Indiana superintendent of public instruction H. Dean Evans argued in the national publication Phi Delta Kappan that education reform should begin “everywhere at once: governance, school day, social influence, curriculum, recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers, and school finance.”6 With the notable exception of governance — which has remained constant — IPS has tried to address a number of other areas in the last three decades. For example, in the 1980s, local foundations supported improved parental involvement through an initiative called Parents in Touch.7 Enhanced parent-teacher conferences, parental contracts, phone hotlines, and other resources were made available.8

In 1989, Governor Evan Bayh joined the nation’s governors in adopting a series of national education goals, which stated that by the year 2000, “All children in America will start school ready to learn; the high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90%; and American students will leave grades four, eight, and twelve having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter.”9 _{The 1990s featured additional reforms, such} as a partnership with the Community Leaders Allied for Superior Schools (CLASS) and enhanced teacher professional development.

Despite the slew of reform efforts, the 1980s produced few lasting student gains. Although new superintendent Shirl E. Gilbert promised to deliver a world-class education, his tenure was marked instead by arguments with the school board. A 1993 report from the Indianapolis Adult Literacy Program on IPS summarized the critique: “This is the real tragedy. No one is accountable. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students must become more responsible for achieving quality in our schools.”10 _Gilbert resigned in 1994.

In 1995, IPS welcomed a new superintendent, Esperanza Zendejas, and new state legislation aimed to hold IPS more accountable. Zendejas observed: “I believe the district is in crisis. This crisis deals with financial resources. It deals with accountability. And it deals with community perceptions.”11 Zendejas also had problems with the school board, this time over accountability plans, and she served only two years as superintendent. The 1995 state law that limited collective bargaining rights within IPS was deemed largely a failure because IPS did not embrace it, partly because the school board objected that the new law was not homegrown. As school board member Michael Brown said: “None of us here are against teacher accountability. But I didn’t create the law. The legislature did. Why should I take a position on something that I have no control over?”12

6 Evans, H. D. (1983). “We Must Begin Educational Reform ‘Every Place at Once.’” Phi Delta Kappan 65(3): 173–177.

7 Warner, I. (1991). “Parents in Touch: District Leadership for Parent Involvement.” Phi Delta Kappan 72(5): 372–75.

8 Warner, I. (1991).

9 Erickson, J. B. (1993). The State of the Child in Indiana II. Indianapolis: Indiana Youth Institute, p. 125. 10 Uishi, P. (1993). Schools at the Crossroads: Which Way to Educational Excellence, Indianapolis Adult

Literacy Program.

11 Associated Press (1995, June 2).“IPS to Re-Interview Top Staff New Head Gives the System an F.” 12 Hooper, K. L. (2001, Jan. 24). “A Cornerstone for the Future.” The Indianapolis Star.

Other reforms (e.g., school-based committees) also failed to generate the intended results because the tools were not in place to support the improvements. District personnel were rhetorically making the case for major changes, but they shied away when implementation required a significant departure from the institutional norms. Reflecting on her experience at IPS, Zendejas said: “This city wanted a superintendent with the urgent passion of education, and they got it. Then when they got it, maybe it was too passionate and too urgent.”13 _{When asked to consider the} potential of the system to embrace major change, Zendejas was skeptical: “I don’t think it’s possible. I think there’s a lot of closed-minded people on the board and in the system.”14

The Zendejas episode is just one example of IPS leaning toward “insider” or “safe” choices for vision and leadership. From 1997–2005, Duncan Pritchett served as superintendent after many years of IPS service. His tenure was guided by the development of two strategic plans that focused on improving eight areas: academic standards, organizational structure, partnerships, parent engagement, communication, staff development, facilities, and fiscal responsibility.15

Under Pritchett’s watch, the district:16

❋

❋ Created the Office of School Transformation, which collected and reviewed data from successful programs around the country. The hallmark of this initiative was the creation of Freshman Academies and Career Academies at each of the traditional high schools, Thomas Carr Howe Academy, and George Washington Community School.

❋

❋ Partnered with the National Urban Alliance to improve reading across grade levels.

❋

❋ Created the Math Initiative, which required high school students to complete a minimum of three years of math, with algebra as the foundation course.

❋

❋ Received $16.4 million from a local foundation to fund instructional coaches in K–12 classrooms, dual-teacher classes at the 6th grade level, and a virtual learning environment that allowed high school students to use Internet-based learning tools.

During Pritchett’s tenure, Indiana also passed its public charter school law, and Mayor Bart Peterson became more directly involved in education policymaking.

13 Quoted in: Fleming, L. N. (1996). “Zendejas’ Reforms Came Fast but Went Too Far for Some.” The

Indianapolis Star. But even Zendejas may not have been bold enough. At least one report at the time,

for instance, suggested that she was not intending to fire any central office personnel, just re-assign them elsewhere. The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel reported that “[w]hile Zendejas stressed that no one should worry about being fired, she acknowledged some administrators could be demoted to positions outside the central office.” Associated Press (1995, June 2).

14 Quoted in: Fleming, L. N. (1996). “Zendejas Ponders the Future of IPS.” The Indianapolis Star. 15 Indianapolis Public Schools (2005). IPS Strategic Plan, 2005–2010.

108 Creating Opportunity Schools: A Bold Plan to Transform Indianapolis Public Schools

A 1999 Hudson Institute report decried Pritchett’s incremental approach, arguing that “the time is long past for marginal changes. Indiana can no longer afford to experiment with the latest pedagogical fashions.”17 _The Indianapolis Star editorialized that “it’s time for IPS to try some radically different approaches in its high schools.”18

But Pritchett responded by pointing to several of his programs and boasting that “IPS is proud to offer cutting-edge, research-based instruction to students.”19 _{Others in the community shared Pritchett’s} sentiment that the Star was being unduly harsh.20

17 Garber, M. P., Heet, J. A., & Styring, III, W. (1999). Indiana Education: On Shaky Ground. New York: Hudson Institute.

18 Editorial (2002, Dec. 4). “A Radical Approach to Improving Schools.” The Indianapolis Star. 19 Pritchett, D. (2002, Dec. 31).

20 A special report in The Indianapolis Star follow-up found that “the perceptions of IPS as a ‘troubled’ school system as portrayed by the Star and other media are inaccurate and unfair, according to the majority of this group. Many passionately shared their experiences with IPS as parents, teachers, volunteers and students, painting a picture of a school district where a lot of good learning is happening.” Daniels, T. E. (May 13, 2001). “Credibility Tied to Readers’ Perceptions.” The Indianapolis