Don’t Wait for Trump or Federal Action: Local Communities Can Reshape Education!

The ongoing debates surrounding President Donald Trump’s proposal to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education have sparked robust conversations about the future of American education. While national policy changes are important, the real engine of education reform in the U.S. has been at the local level. Across the country, communities have been driving education improvements for decades, long before the federal government or state governments stepped in to take action.

New Orleans, which completely revamped its education system following Hurricane Katrina, stands as one of the most notable examples. However, Indianapolis, too, has proven that such transformation does not need to be triggered by a disaster; local leadership and sustained effort can lead to remarkable change in a city’s education system.

As the first director of charter schools in Indianapolis and the founder of The Mind Trust, an organization focused on improving educational outcomes, I had the privilege of witnessing the city’s transformation up close. Indianapolis offers a model that other cities can replicate, one that is based on local action and a long-term commitment to educational improvement.

Indianapolis: A Model of Educational Success

Today, in Indianapolis’ center city, nearly 60% of students attend public charter schools. The impact of this shift is undeniable. Studies show that charter school students in Indianapolis outperform their peers in district-run schools. In fact, charter school students gain an additional 116 days of learning in math and 64 extra days in reading compared to their district school counterparts. These gains are not small—they represent a tangible improvement in student learning outcomes.

Since 2021, charter schools in Indianapolis have achieved larger proficiency gains across all student groups compared to the city’s 11 school districts and the state of Indiana. Furthermore, charter school enrollment in the city has grown by 21% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping stabilize enrollment in the city’s public schools.

So, how did Indianapolis make this dramatic transformation possible? What allowed the city to reshape its educational landscape and see such impressive results? The answer lies in a long-term commitment to creating high-quality educational opportunities for all students.

The Birth of Charter Schools in Indianapolis

The foundation for the education reform movement in Indianapolis was laid in 2001 when the state of Indiana passed a law allowing the creation of public charter schools. Although the law was available statewide, Indianapolis took full advantage of it. In Indianapolis, local leaders saw the opportunity to leverage charter schools to offer parents more high-quality education options for their children.

Former Mayor Bart Peterson, a Democrat, played a pivotal role in this movement by launching the first mayor-sponsored charter authorizing office in the United States. Peterson’s administration took the necessary steps to implement the charter school law, making Indianapolis the first city to scale up charter schools significantly. A few years later, Peterson and I co-founded The Mind Trust to attract talented education leaders to the city and to help build a strong pipeline of skilled teachers and school leaders.

The mission was clear: make Indianapolis a destination for education innovation. By doing so, we could create an environment where charter schools could flourish, offering students more options and better educational outcomes.

Charter Schools and District Schools Working Together

While charter schools were growing and succeeding, it became clear that collaboration between charter schools and district-run schools was essential for the overall improvement of Indianapolis’ education system. In 2011, The Mind Trust issued a report advocating for district-run schools to gain the same autonomy and flexibility that charter schools had.

This report proved to be influential, inspiring then-Mayor Greg Ballard, a Republican, to push for state legislation that would allow district-run schools more autonomy. In 2014, this led to the creation of Innovation Network Schools, which operate with charter-like freedoms while still benefiting from district resources, such as access to district facilities and transportation.

The creation of Innovation Network Schools was a critical moment in Indianapolis’ educational reform. By 2014, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and The Mind Trust formed a partnership to launch and incubate these new schools, marking a significant step in integrating charter-like flexibility with the stability and resources of district-run schools.

Indianapolis Public Schools has been the only district in the state to fully embrace and benefit from this unique law, and it’s been able to do so because local leaders had already put in place the infrastructure necessary to support these efforts.

What Other Cities Can Learn From Indianapolis

Indianapolis’ success offers valuable lessons for other cities looking to improve their education systems. The transformation in Indianapolis didn’t happen by chance—it required a combination of factors that worked together to create a robust and sustainable model of educational improvement. Here’s what other cities can learn from Indianapolis:

1. Build Strong Local Infrastructure: Indianapolis’ success was driven by strong partnerships between local government, the school board, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic donors. Cities need to develop these kinds of partnerships to ensure that education reform is supported and sustainable over time.
2. Attract and Retain Quality Education Talent: The city made a concerted effort to bring high-quality teachers and school leaders to Indianapolis, creating a pipeline of talent that would ensure educational success for years to come.
3. Offer Diverse Educational Options: Charter schools and Innovation Network Schools have provided parents with more options for their children’s education. This has helped increase competition and accountability within the system, leading to better educational outcomes.
4. Commit to Long-Term Change: Real educational transformation takes time. Indianapolis’ model is the result of more than two decades of sustained effort. Other cities need to be prepared for a long-term commitment to improving education.

Local Action Is the Key to Education Reform

In the current climate of federal education uncertainty, the solution to America’s educational challenges is clear: local action is the key. While federal policies are important, they often move slowly and are subject to political changes. The real power for education reform lies in local communities, where change can be implemented quickly and meaningfully.

Local leaders in cities across the U.S. should take inspiration from Indianapolis’ example. Instead of waiting for federal mandates or top-down solutions, communities should develop their own plans, advocate for state-level policies that support education reform, and invest in the infrastructure that will help schools succeed.

The work of organizations like The Mind Trust, which incubate high-quality schools and provide technical support to teachers and administrators, is a model that can be replicated in other cities. By creating local organizations focused on education reform, cities can ensure that progress continues even in the face of federal uncertainty.

Conclusion

Indianapolis’s success in transforming its education system is a testament to the power of local action. Amid the uncertainty of federal education policy, the real work of transforming schools is happening at the community level. Leaders in Indianapolis have proven that with a strong commitment, local infrastructure, and a focus on high-quality education options, cities can make meaningful changes that benefit students, families, and communities.

As we move forward, let’s remember that the solution to America’s education challenges lies not in Washington, D.C., but in the hands of local leaders. It’s time for communities across the country to step up and take action to improve schools, because real change starts with local leadership.

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