Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Outlines Priorities as City Shifts to Mayor-Appointed Education Board

Aleesia Johnson says maintaining stability for families is top priority as new governance structure takes shape.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson says her top priority is ensuring stability for families as a new mayor-appointed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) board takes control of the city's fragmented education system. The IPEC will manage transportation, facilities, and performance for 42,000 students across IPS and charter schools, though schools will have the option to opt out of the facility plan. Johnson wants to maintain stability for families during this transition, despite concerns from critics about "taxation without representation."

Why it matters

The shift to a mayor-appointed education board represents a major change in governance for Indianapolis' public schools, which have long been divided between the elected IPS board and the city's charter schools. This new structure aims to create more coherence and equitable funding, but there are still many unanswered questions about how it will impact families and students.

The details

The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation will be a newly established municipal body governed by a nine-member board appointed by the mayor. It is designed to bridge the fragmented education landscape where IPS and charter schools have competed for students and funding. The IPEC will take full control of school property and busing by the 2028-2029 school year, though schools will have the option to opt out of the facility plan. Critics have labeled the move "taxation without representation," while supporters argue it creates more equitable funding for all public school students in the city.

  • The IPEC board will begin taking control in the 2028-2029 school year.
  • The Indiana Senate approved the measure 27-21, with a final 67-30 House vote sending it to Gov. Mike Braun.

The players

Aleesia Johnson

Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools since 2019.

Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC)

A newly established municipal body that will be governed by a nine-member board appointed by the mayor and will manage transportation, facilities, and performance for 42,000 students across IPS and charter schools.

Jeff Raatz

Indiana state senator who cited financial mismanagement as a reason for the legislation.

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What they’re saying

“The fact of the matter is, there are state policy decisions that have happened over the last decade that have put IPS and a number of public school districts in a really fiscally constrained space.”

— Aleesia Johnson, Superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools (WFYI)

What’s next

The IPEC board will begin taking control of school property and busing in the 2028-2029 school year, though schools will have the option to opt out of the facility plan. In the meantime, Johnson says her top priority is ensuring stability for families during this transition.

The takeaway

This legislation represents a major shift in governance for Indianapolis' public schools, moving control from an elected IPS board to a mayor-appointed IPEC board. While the goal is to create more coherence and equity across the fragmented education landscape, there are still many unanswered questions about how this will impact families and students in the long run.