In a sharp reversal from last year, the Indianapolis Public Schools board voted Thursday to let Cold Spring School convert its Innovation Network agreement into an innovation charter, opening the door to more state funding and greater autonomy for the K-8 campus. The board also cleared the way for a second campus for Global Prep Academy and approved a one-year innovation amendment tied to Monarca Academy’s planned high school expansion.
After a round of debate, board members moved to amend Cold Spring’s innovation contract so the school can operate with charterlike independence while still remaining in the IPS family. As reported by IBJ, the vote reversed the board’s decision from last year and bundled in approvals that affect both Global Prep and Monarca.
Cold Spring chief operating officer Cody Stipes told WISH-TV that shifting to charter status would bring in roughly $1.8 million more in state funding. He said the school will take over special-education and English-learner services itself, a move he estimated would save the district more than $800,000. Stipes also pointed to the planned removal of a modular classroom at School 44, which he said would save IPS about $96,000 a year. Supporters at the meeting argued that with numbers like that, the financial case was hard to ignore.
What Stays With IPS
Even as an innovation charter, Cold Spring will not be completely on its own. The school will continue to contract with IPS for custodial and food services, and the district will still provide transportation and building space under the amended agreement, according to Indianapolis Public Schools. That setup is meant to keep schools inside the IPS orbit while giving them more control over curriculum and day-to-day operations.
Global Prep And Monarca Moves
The board also signed off on a plan to split Global Prep Academy into two campuses. Under the change, the existing site at Riverside School 44 will serve students through fifth grade, while a new Monon-area campus will serve grades 6-8. Global Prep will own and manage the new building and handle related services. In a separate but related move, the board approved a one-year innovation amendment for Monarca Academy’s high school expansion, which will divide Monarca into a middle school and a high school operating in the same building, as reported by IBJ.
Why It Matters For The District's Budget
District officials tied all of these approvals to this year’s contract renewal cycle. Agreements for Cold Spring, Global Prep and Monarca are up for renewal, and the one-year amendments are meant to buy time while IPS decides on longer-term plans. Superintendent Alesia Johnson told the board she expects "more clarity" on the district’s future and finances before full renewal votes take place, according to WISH-TV.
What’s Next For Families And Staff
Over the coming weeks, school and district leaders will hammer out the details on key services, including special-education staffing, English-learner programming and transportation. Families are being urged to keep an eye out for messages from both their schools and IPS about enrollment procedures and bus assignments as the new agreements are finalized.
For now, Cold Spring remains a K-8 STEM and environmental-science campus within IPS. Leaders say the charter conversion is meant to protect that programming while tapping into new revenue streams. District and school officials plan to share more about how the changes will roll out as renewal votes and operational agreements move ahead.
