The State of Indianapolis Public Schools
• 88 unique schools and programs
• More than 31,000 students (the most in three years) and 2,000 teachers & certified personnel
• The current IPS graduation rate is 83 percent—ten years ago it was 47 percent
• IPS serves more than 840,000 meals each month—and almost 85,000 meals during our break periods
• Our buses travel more than 20,000 miles every day
• We are a majority-minority District (78 percent non-white and 22 percent white)
• Sixteen percent of our students are English-language learners; 19 percent are students with special needs
• Twenty five percent of the properties within the IPS District are tax exempt
Q
Keeping Our Own Financial House
• Due to property tax caps and reductions in state and federal funding, IPS has lost tens of millions of dollars in the past four years
• Despite this, IPS has invested an additional $8.8 million annually the past three years to provide teacher raises and maintain cost-neutral benefits
• Since 2011, IPS has reduced central office expenses by 32.5 percent (on a per-pupil basis)
• IPS has realized more than $18 million dollars from right-sizing real estate holdings
• IPS has not sought funds through the referendum process since 2008 (while most other school districts in Marion County have placed referenda on the ballot since then)
Key Referenda Fact: monthly tax impact for the average property value in the IPS District will be $3.19
Benefits of a Successful Capital Referendum
• Eighty percent of the $52 million capital referenda funds will go to enhance school security
• Proposed improvements include upgraded emergency communications capabilities & more secure windows
Benefits of a Successful Operating Referendum
• IPS has stated plainly that monies from the operating referendum will be dedicated to remaining competitive for teacher and school leader salaries
• If passed, IPS will continue to have the necessary resources to fund its dynamic special needs program
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