IPS board raises teacher salaries, could seek tax hike to overhaul buildings

Indianapolis Public Schools will pay its teachers a minimum of $40,000 a year — the first substantial raise in five years — and could ask voters for a tax increase to modernize buildings.

The district’s board approved the 12 percent wage hike and adopted a three-year strategic plan, which could lead IPS to ask for a property tax increase, at its meeting Thursday.

“It has been an honor to collaborate with the Indianapolis Education Association to bring forth this collective bargaining agreement,” IPS Superintendent Lewis Ferebee said.

IPS teachers, who received raises across the board, were mostly satisfied with the two-year contract they reached with the district, said association President Rhondalyn Cornett. The contract was approved by 93 percent of the union and takes effect this year, she said.

“It will help people now that the starting salary has changed,” Cornett said. “It may help bring in teachers, because we know there’s a shortage of teachers across the nation. I’m hoping we’ll retain the best and brightest we have.”

Cornett said it’s unclear where the funds to bolster teacher pay will come from. IPS pointed to cutting extraneous costs throughout the district as one way teachers would receive additional compensation.

Eugenia Murry, a parent at George H. Fisher Elementary School, said the district made some strides in helping attract quality teachers, but more needs to be done.

“The most important factor in improving our children’s education in the classroom is quality teaching,” said Murry, a member of Stand for Children Indiana, an education advocacy group.

“There were some attempts to help make that happen in the IPS plan, but we think this area needs more work. The district is in the midst of a teacher shortage and needs to take big steps to address that.”

The strategic plan adopted by the board calls on IPS to “strategically modernize school buildings as driven by need and competition by 2018.” Ferebee said a school referendum isn’t out of the question, noting it’s been almost 10 years since the district asked for one.

The strategic plan also has several components aimed at improving the overall quality of education within IPS.

In a 4-2 vote, the board named Michael O’Connor its newest member, filling the District 1 vacancy. O’Connor is director of state government affairs for Eli Lilly and Co. and was chief deputy mayor and chief of staff for then-Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson.

Call Star reporter Kris Turner at (317) 444-6047. Follow him on Twitter: @krisnturner.