Our goal is to plan for different realities and uncertainties with regard to funding, public referendum sharing, and IPS/IPEC services. 

J Habayeb: We need to build background knowledge around the amounts of money coming to us from IPS. We have different understandings of where those numbers are coming from. 

L Aguayo: It sounds like what they are reporting is different from what we are reporting? And we need to ask them questions about where those numbers come from. 

JH: IPS has been adjusting their "charge-backs." They use those funds to pay for things like our building, transportation, custodial, utilities, and IT (formerly). IPS can only charge us up to the amount that they receive in local property taxes. It is our interpretation that they have been charging more. IPS is saying that they are no longer able to subsidize innovation schools, but based on the formulas we are using, we see that they are receiving more than they are paying for us. One of the primary issues on these formulas is that they are making these calculations based on the square footage of the building instead of occupancy.  

LA: Is the intention just to clarify? Or to get funds back? 

JH: Really, we want to make sure the board and the population of Indy are presented with the correct information. We want to make sure that the best decisions are being made based on accurate information.  

JH: We can also see that a large portion of the operating funds are going back to paying debt and bonds for technology and facilities, but those funds are no longer going to pay for our technology. They have stopped covering most IT services for Innovation Schools. 

None of this is meant to say that IPS is doing anything nefarious or malicious. For years, they reported this in a way that made sense, ands they decided to pay for transportation, etc. Then legislative decisions have consequences, and IPS has to start making tough decisions. IPS is in a hard spot, and we understand that. 

There are still many things they do very well, but we have to stick up for our kids and make sure their programs are being fairly funded. 

There is a statutory cap that says we can only be charged up to the amount that IPS received in property tax sharing. We disagree on where that cap sits. 

One of the areas the Finance Committee needs to dig into is the forecasted levy shares, so that we can see what will be shared on a per-pupil basis and what will be shared with us. There is a world where we may have to fund more of our operations with less money. 

M Meer: What is our "power" if a decision is made that is not in our best interest? 

JH: There is power in numbers when we align ourselves with other Innovation Schools. We could also be more vocal about the differences that we see. 

JH: Next steps are sending questions to IPS. I will share those answers. If we need to have an additional meeting so that the board can stay informed and make/sign off on decisions, we will. 

MM: I would like to be able to share these questions and uncertainties with the full board because these are not small decisions. 

MM: My sense is that we are in a strong financial position if the decisions don't go our way.