Board of Education transfers Arlington back to IPS control

The State Board of Education on Wednesday approved a plan to transition Arlington High School back to local control.

While the Indianapolis Public Schools district now will run the Eastside school, the state board will still maintain oversight and could intervene, if necessary. And the plan includes ambitious testing, attendance and graduation goals for the long-struggling school.

"I think it clearly is a sign of confidence," IPS Superintendent Lewis Ferebee said, adding that district is in the process of finalizing plans for the school's operation

Board member Daniel Elsener said the transition plan was clear and allowing IPS to run the school will benefit the district. He said he looked forward to improved performance under the new plan.

The board's plan for the 2015-16 school year at Arlington includes improving English language scores on the ISTEP by 12 percent, math scores by 7 percent, raising the graduation rate from 43.5 percent to 60 percent, and reducing the number of missed school days by 20 percent.

In 2012, the state turned over five chronically failing schools, including Arlington, to private school operators. Last year, Tindley Accelerated Schools, which operates Arlington, said it was no longer able to run the troubled school. Ferebee then sought to bring it back under IPS' wing.

The board on Wednesday unanimously approved the school transfer.

The Board of Education also approved the contract IPS has signed with Mass Insight Education's to evaluate the district's transformation zone plan. A transformation zone is a smaller area within the district where it can concentrate resources for struggling schools.

The board also approved the extension of Charter Schools USA's contract to manage Emma Donnan Middle School from two years to five years. And it approved the establishment of a K-6 Innovation Network School in the Donnan building that also would be operated by Charter Schools USA.

Board member Sarah O'Brien also presented a proposal to shorten the ISTEP exam and reduce the cost of the test. Most of the proposal was passed by the board, which will revisit two portions in a future meeting.

O'Brien, like many parents and school administrators, was alarmed when the ISTEP ballooned from six hours to 12 this year. She was displeased with additional reading measures that were added to the test, which was one of the reasons it doubled in length.

"I believe that the current testing costs cover reading components that are not necessary and is an area where we can trim the fat," O'Brien said.

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

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