IPS chief Lewis Ferebee seeks charter powers but faces pushback

Indianapolis’ new school chief wants to have the flexibility of charter schools, while also better utilizing school resources.

So, Lewis Ferebee, the superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, is asking state lawmakers for the power to contract with charter school operators or school management teams to create new instructional methods in the district and allow charters to operate independently in underused IPS buildings.

This flexibility, Ferebee said, would let teachers and principals quickly implement innovative ideas, pool together resources and bring successful school models to neighborhoods.

“This will enable some of our grass-roots, teacher-developed initiatives that have the flexibility they are seeking,” he said. “That is one of the first things I heard walking in the door from teachers: why do we have to follow the same curriculum, why do we have to do one size fits all, all the same way? This provides that autonomy and flexibility to do so.”

But the idea fell flat with some lawmakers and teacher union representatives who called Ferebee’s idea offensive and disrespectful to teachers. The sticking point in House Bill 1321 is that it would prohibit collective bargaining for teachers in these new programs. Teachers at other charters in the city have the option to unionize.

That difference said Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Indianapolis, shows “complete and utter disrespect” for teachers. “I will flight like hell on House floor against it,” she told Ferebee during the House Education Committee hearing Thursday. The bill passed 9-4 with all of the “no” votes coming from Democrats. It now heads to the full House.

Support came from other corners, however. Jason Kloth, the city’s deputy mayor of education, said Mayor Greg Ballard backed the plan. Representatives from charter school advocates Goodwill Industries and Stand For Children also asked that the bill be adopted.

After the hearing, Ferebee said criticism lobbed at the bill was off base.

John O’Neil of Indiana State Teachers Association characterized the plan as a way for IPS to create more “takeover schools,” a reference to a law that allows the state to take control of chronically failing schools and hand them to outside operators. Four IPS schools are now being operated by private companies.

“You are comparing apples and oranges,” Ferebee said after the hearing in response to O’Neil’s comments. “This is a proactive way to look at school improvement in a different way that we haven’t done in the past.”

An IPS program Ferebee could see expanded to other schools in the district under the bill is Project Restore. In Project Restore, developed by two School 99 teachers and approved by the IPS board, schools can choose curriculum that is different from programs normally offered in IPS.

Project Restore wants to be even more creative by changing the length of school days, the length of the school year and how teachers are paid, Ferebee said at the hearing. To institute those type of changes now, it would require bargaining with the IPS teachers union.

Asked if he would consider changing the collective-bargaining prohibition in the bill to make it optional, a move that would likely increase support from Democrats, Ferebee appeared open to the suggestion.

“I wouldn’t have heartburn if the language was similar to what other charters can do,” he said of teacher’s ability to unionize. But for now, he said, that’s not how the bill is written.

Call Star reporter Eric Weddle at (317) 444-6222. Follow him on Twitter: @ericweddle.