IPS sale of college on maintain amid authorized battle with state legal professional basic

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Indianapolis Public Colleges board voted to maneuver forward with the sale of Francis Bellamy College 102 whereas the authorized battle over whether or not the district should supply it to constitution colleges for $1 continues in court docket.

However inside a day, that sale was placed on maintain.

The varsity board voted 6-0 Thursday to authorize the sale of the varsity on the far eastside to VOICES, an area nonprofit that works with youth, for $550,000. One commissioner was absent.

The vote got here three days after Marion County Decide Heather Welch granted the district an exemption from a state legislation that requires districts to supply closed faculty buildings to constitution colleges for $1. For a while, that legislation has brought on rigidity between IPS and a few within the constitution sector, as IPS has closed colleges whereas constitution faculty enrollment has grown.

On Friday, Welch granted an emergency movement requested by Lawyer Basic Todd Rokita to remain her ruling and cease the sale whereas Rokita appeals the choice.

In an announcement, the varsity board mentioned it’s searching for readability on the which means of the keep.

“We are going to proceed to advocate for our amenities to be repurposed in methods to fulfill the wants of our neighborhood, as is the case for our settlement with VOICES Corp.,” the board mentioned.

Earlier than the varsity board vote Thursday, a crowd of oldsters, college students, and others urged the varsity board to work collaboratively with constitution colleges below the “Higher Collectively” marketing campaign. The marketing campaign consists of teams supportive of training reform, equivalent to EmpowerEd Households.

IPS objected to Rokita’s try and cease the sale in a court docket submitting on Thursday, arguing that doing so would hurt IPS and taxpayers.

The district indicated that there’s no actual draw back to promoting the varsity whereas the authorized battle performs out, so far as IPS is anxious. If an appeals court docket finally finds the district in violation of the $1 legislation, state legislation would require the proceeds of the sale to go to close by constitution colleges, the district famous in its submitting.

The state has not offered any proof {that a} constitution faculty really needs to amass both College 102 or Raymond Brandes College 65 — one other closed faculty the district needs to promote — IPS additionally mentioned in its submitting.

Nevertheless, final yr a number of constitution colleges expressed curiosity in taking on colleges that IPS deliberate to shut.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township colleges for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.