Indiana schools become virtual for teacher protests on Monday. IPS, Pike cancels the class in person

Updated Sunday April 13 10:09 p.m.

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Indianapolis public schools and the Metropolitan School District of the canton of Pike move towards e-learning on Monday, while state teachers plan to leave the classrooms and to converge on the State to demand higher funding for public schools and the changes in protest policy that could transfer local dollars to charter schools.

Indianapolis public schools, which were at the center of legislative debates, sent an alert on Sunday evening announcing a sudden passage to asynchronous learning for Monday. Change may not affect managed schools independently of the district, including charter schools. Families are advised to check with individual schools for more details.

“We recognize that many staff members will attend a day of action at the Indiana Statehouse on Monday, April 14, and we support the advocacy of our staff members, as well as the advocacy demonstrated by so many of our families,” the district statement said. “Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to identify enough staff coverage to feel confident in our ability to operate schools safely on Monday, April 14, while staff members are absent.”

This decision to switch to virtual learning was made public just after the district said that it would remain in person – which sparked the counterpoup of the district teachers' union. THE Indianapolis Education Association accused leadership IPS To block the requests for leave and to discourage the staff to participate in the rally, known as the day of action of the Association of Teachers of the Indiana State.

Previously, Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said that the district had weighed several factors in its decision not to switch to asynchronous learning, including the limited virtual days approved by the state, last minute last minute closings pose for families, the Ilearn test windows planned and the financial impact on the staff who cannot work at a distance.

Because IPS has already used every asynchronous days allowed for the year, an additional day in person will be added at the end of the school year. The new latest school day for students will take place on Friday May 23 and the last day of school for staff will take place on Tuesday May 27.

The rally
The event, organized by the largest union of state teachers, will bring together educators to advocate inside the state house. Ista leaders say they are pressure for an increase in investments in the education of kindergarten to the 12th year, stronger collective negotiation protections and proposed state budget changes which would better support traditional public schools.

On Monday, some districts close buildings or go to asynchronous learning due to the absence of high teachers. Pike canton schools said 184 employees had already asked for the day of leave on Friday. Monroe County Community School Corp. will also move all students from kindergarten to 12th year to an independent online learning for the day. Preschool programs and certain special services will remain open in the two districts.

Teachers of traditional school districts say they are frustrated by the legislation of the GOP supermajority that will affect funding and other education policies. Bill 1 of the Senate would oblige the districts to share land tax funds approved by voters with charter schools, even if they were not included in the original voting proposal.

IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said that the legislation could force the IPS to close at least 20 schools and reduce hundreds of positions. This week the district compromised with legislators In a plan to examine how the district could associate with the charter schools of the city.

Defenders of school choices want equal funding for all students in public schools, regardless of the type of school they frequent.

Ista leaders say they support certain parts of the Current Senate budget proposalsuch as Slow up expansion Private school vouchers and reducing the financing of virtual schools. But the union argues that the increases offered of 2% of tuition fees are not sufficient to respond to inflation or help schools compete for staff.

“At a time when Indiana faces a growing shortage of teachers, we need greater investments that support competitive remuneration and long -term retention”, ” Ista said in a press release.

ISTA said he was planning to continue putting pressure on changes until the end of the legislative session later this month.

The journalist of WFYI Education Sydney Dauphinais covers the schools of the county of Marion. Contact it to sdauphinais@wfyi.org.

Eric Weddle is the editor of the WFYI education team. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow it on x to @ericweddle.