DEAR PARTNERS,On behalf of the The Mind Trust, thank you for your interest in Indianapolis. We are proud to call Indianapolis home, and prouder still to be part of a community-wide commitment to transforming education for every student in our city.

Indianapolis has earned a reputation as a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We firmly believe that the bright future of our city is built on a foundation of educational opportunity for all, quality schools in every neighborhood, and an innovative system of public education that empowers exceptional educators.

Due to the work of many people over the last 15 years, we believe Indianapolis is now positioned as the best city in the country to launch an autonomous school. Indianapolis offers:

• Multiple routes to open fully autonomous schools through the nation’s strongest charter law and the nationally unique Innovation Network School law.

• Innovative governmental entities leveraging this policy landscape to its fullest potential.

• The Mind Trust’s multiple school incubation pathways, which provide critical time, resources, and support to ensure schools are successful from the day they open.

• An education ecosystem ripe with talent pipelines, advocacy organizations, and civic leaders committed to educating every Indianapolis student.

This groundbreaking landscape is already producing great results:

• Sixty-five percent of Mayor-sponsored charter schools received an A or B on the state’s accountability system in 2015.

• Nine Innovation Network Schools are already operating in IPS with many more on the way.

• The Mind Trust has recruited and incubated 28 schools and nonprofits to create a rich education ecosystem in Indianapolis.

While we are proud of our progress, far too many students continue to lack access to a high-quality school. For Indianapolis to truly reach its potential, we need our city’s and nation’s most successful educators and innovators to contribute to our quest to provide every student in Indianapolis with access to a world-class education. We hope you will join us.

David HarrisFounder and CEO, The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust commits to doubling the number of students in high

performing schools

Charter law ranked1st nationally Innovation Network Schools

legislation passes

The Mind Trust partners with IPS & the City of Indianapolis to launch the Innovation School Fellowship.

IPS hires reform-minded superintendent

The Mind Trust & UNCF partner to start a community-wide education conversation.

The Mind Trust launches its Charter

School Incubator

The Mind Trust launches its first incubator, the Education Entrepreneur Fellowship.

The Mind Trust recruits TFA & TNTP to Indy

The Mind Trust launches

The Mayor’s Charter School Office wins Innovations in American Government Award.

Charter law passed

Indy’s mayor is the first in the country to get charter authority.

‘16

‘15

‘14

‘13

‘11

‘07

‘06

‘01

The Mind Trust launches Educator Empowerment Awards.

The Mind Trust releases “Creating Opportunity Schools”, a vision for autonomous schools in IPS.

The Mind Trust supports the launch of 4 more Innovation Network Schools & awards 7 more fellowships.

The STaTe of IndIanapolIS SchoolS

Public school students within IPS boundaries (district and charter)

#Indy Index

44,466

Public school options in the Indianapolis Public Schools district

Indianapolis students have more public education options than ever before. In the 2015–16 school year, students and parents sought out new, promising school options in big numbers.

Students in charters and Innovation Network Schools

School Performance ISTEP+ Proficiency

17,250

100+

29.1%IpS

Mayor-SponSored

STaTewIde

IST

EP

+ (M

ath

& E

LA)

37.5%

53.3%

Indianapolis charter students had an additional

Amount of time needed to close the achievement gap if all students attended an Indianapolis charter school

45 days in

55 days in

60 days in

48 days in

MaTh

MaTh

readIng

yearS

readIng

Source: Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University

2012

2015

91.8% 90.7%PARAMOUNT STATE

3rd graders who passed IREAD-3

83.9% 48.2%PARAMOUNT STATE

Students qualifying for free

& reduced lunch

STATE74.5% 66.4%

PARAMOUNTReading

Proficiency

STATE76.2% 60.2%

PARAMOUNTMath

Proficiency

Students in Indianapolis schools underperform

statewide averages, but schools are

beginning to close the gap.

PARAMounT School of ExcEllEncE—A LOcAL chARTER SchOOL—PROvES whAT’S POSSIbLE IN INdIANPOLIS.

�

4

Percent of A and B rated schools

IndIana

Mayor-SponSored charTer SchoolS

IndIanapolIS publIc SchoolS

76%

65%

37%

our Schools

The NaTioN’s sTroNgesT CharTer PoliCy eNviroNmeNT Charter law in the

country

#iNdy iNdex

#1

#2

15Years of advocacy and improvement to make it happen

In 2016, the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools (NAPCS), named Indiana’s charter law the strongest in the United States, and the second healthiest charter environment in the nation. NAPCS highlighted the unique balance of autonomy and accountability that enables great schools to open and authorizers to manage schools well. In the last 15 years, the advocacy and action of many local partners made Indianapolis the gold standard.

Governance � School leaders and Charter

Management Organizations have the freedom to hold their charters and manage schools directly.

� Charter schools may be governed by local or national non-profit boards.

� As independent LEAs, charter schools and networks receive and manage funding directly. Students can move and matriculate from campus to campus.

autonomy� Charters get exemptions from

most of the regulations of traditional public schools.

� Curricular, staffing, and school model decisions are made independently and in partnership with the authorizer.

� Schools and authorizers agree to clear, meaningful performance benchmarks. Charters can count on consistent accountability and expectations from their authorizer.

talent Flexibility

� Charters can recruit, retain, and reward educators and school staff as they see fit. They also have the flexibility to hire subject-matter experts to teach in their field.

� Charter teachers have access to a uniquely designed charter school teaching license.

� School leaders are exempt from all licensing requirements.

Healthiest charter movement in the nation

The Best Charter Law in The Country

A Strong Balance of Autonomy & Accountability

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Annual Law Rankings

State inDiana alabama minneSota louiSiana coloraDo

2016 ranKinG 1 2 3 4 5

2010 ranKinG 29 N/a 1 9 5

InnovatIon network SchoolS

Innovation Network Schools (INS) are autonomous schools within traditional districts made possible by recent state laws. The Mayor of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), and The Mind Trust formed a partnership around the opportunity this law presents for the city. This partnerships spans two mayoral administrations and creates unprecedented opportunities for the creation of autonomous district schools.

Building a New Pathway

We need every tool in the toolbox ... to strengthen autonomy at the school level. I believe [Innovation Network Schools are] an opportunity to do so and forge beneficial relationships.” –DR. lewIS feRebee, SuPeRINTeNDeNT, IPS

Innovation Network Schools in 2016

#Indy Index

9

Types of Innovation Network Schools: neighborhood, magnet, or charter

Innovation Network School students by 2018

6,000+

3

ResouRces � Schools get full state and

federal funding.� Schools have little to no

facility costs.� Leaders can participate in the

Innovation School Fellowship to plan and design their schools.

Autonomy� Schools have full operational

autonomy. � Operators and IPS work

together to develop a contract detailing autonomy and accountability for the school.

� Schools can choose to partner with a high-quality charter authorizer.

community engAgement

� Community engagement resources are provided to schools.

� Schools develop community-based engagement plans.

� Schools have access to parent organizing investments through The Mind Trust.

The Path to Autonomous Schools

the FiRst innovAtion schoolThe Mind Trust awarded its first Innovation School fellowship to Phalen leadership Academies (PlA) in 2014 to launch Indiana’s first Innovation Network School. upon approval by the IPS board of Commissioners, PlA restarted francis Scott Key elementary #103 as PlA@103 in fall 2015.

In the previous school year, fewer than 10% of students were proficient on the state assessment and 127 fights were reported. In PLA@103’s first year, enrollment increased by 20% and violence decreased dramatically. further, scores on the third grade reading assessment increased by more than 30 percentage points.

% o

f sch

ools

Increase of Innovation Network Schools Over Time30

25

20

10

15

52015–16 2016–17 2017–18

% of schools in iPs that are innovation network schools

Planning & Design School Support

Network Investments

Supports the creation of a new school in IPS —traditional, magnet or charter.

Promotes parent mobilization to ensure the successful launch of new schools.

The Mind Trust recognizes the power of strong networks and fuels their capacity to grow their impact across multiple campuses. To support network capacity and the growth of small and large, local and national networks, The Mind Trust offers pathways to invest in networks at all stages of development. Investments vary depending on network size and maturity.

Awarded to high performing schools in IPS that wish to convert to an Innovation Network School.

Supports the cost of implementation to ensure success from day one.

Innovation School Fellowship Parent Organizing Investments

Educator Empowerment Awards Implementation Investments

Designed for leaders to replicate or design new charter schools independent of IPS.

Invests in the creation of never-before-seen school models to launch in Indianapolis.

Charter School Fellowship

Charter School Design Challenge

Ind

ep

en

de

nt

C

ha

rt

er

SC

ho

ol

SThe IndIanapolIs InvesTmenT

There is a strong and compelling opportunity in Indianapolis. The city, state, and community organizations are focused on providing more equitable funding to charter and Innovation Network Schools (INS). Recently, Indiana legislators created a dedicated grant for facilities and capital costs for charter and INS. In addition, The Mind Trust has committed to growing the number of high-quality schools through several investment pathways to support leaders, schools, and networks of schools.

Growing Great Schools

Per pupil facilities grant for charter schools

#Indy Index

$500

Startup funding avail-able from the Walton Family Foundation

Per pupil facility and transportation savings for INS

$2,000+

$325K

Inn

ova

tIo

n

ne

tw

or

k S

Ch

oo

lS $125,000

$200,000$200,000

$250,000

$1 mIllIo

n +

$125,000 –$300,000

$150,000

Quality, independent authorizing

Consecutive mayors supporting high-quality charter growth

#indy index

3+

40+

65% Of mayor sponsored charters that received a grade of A or B in 2015

A key element to a robust charter sector is quality authorizing. The National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), named Indiana’s charter authorizing policy the best in the country in 2015.1 In 2006, the Indianapolis Mayor’s Charter School Initiative won the prestigious Harvard University Innovations in American Government Award.

The ICSB is an authorizing option for operators considering a statewide network of schools. ICSB authorizing is guided by five principals:

Campuses authorized by the Mayor of Indianapolis

Starts with Quality Authorizers

Indiana Charter School Board (ICSB)

The Office of Education Innovation’s attention to detail and high level of communication create a sustainable partnership. Our school is stronger because of its authorizer. That’s rare in today’s charter landscape.”

–TOMMy ReddICkS, exeCUTIve dIReCTOR,PARAMOUNT SCHOOl Of exCelleNCe

1http://www.qualitycharters.org/policy-research/state-map/indiana/

OEI authorizes some of Indianapolis’ highest performing schools as evidenced by the state accountability system:

The Mayor of Indianapolis’ Office of Education Innovation (OEI)

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

% o

f sch

ools

a B C d F

IndIanapolIs publIc schools

a B C d F

oEI chartErs

rIgorous & transparEnt accountabIlIty

studEnts FIrst

hIgh ExpEctatIons

ExcEllEncE In lEadErshIp

commItmEnt to InnovatIon

Human Capital

#indy index

100+

308

17% Of current principals in IPS district that are TFA Alumni

The Mind Trust is at the core of recruiting and supporting unique, high-quality teacher and leader development programs to the city of Indianapolis. Teachers and leaders have opportunities at all stages of their careers in Indianapolis.

Teacher leaders trained in policy and practice through Teach Plus

TFA Alumni in the region

Supporting Our Most Important Resource

Emily masEngalEEmily Masengale grew up in Indianapolis, and began her teaching career with TFA in St. Louis. She taught at an alternative high school for at-risk students and was named the district’s “Teacher of the year” in 2009.

As such, Emily returned home as the first Indianapolis Principal Fellow, a partnership between TFA-Indianapolis and Columbia University to supply local schools with innovative school leaders. She currently is the founding principal of Christel House DORS, a successful adult dropout recovery charter high school.

alEEsia JohnsonAleesia Johnson, a TFA New Jersey alum, brought years of experience leading a local charter school to her current role as the IPS Innovation Officer. In many cities, public school systems and the charter sector have a strained relationship, but IPS has opened its arms to innovation and hired Aleesia to bring new ideas, leaders and teachers to schools district-wide.

At IPS, Aleesia oversees the development of Innovation Network Schools, autonomous district schools with the flexibility of charter schools, and the creation of district-wide programs and processes to expand school-level decision-making authority. Aleesia previously led KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School and was a founding program director at TFA-Indianapolis.

Behind every successful student is a dedicated teacher. Behind many of the best teachers are results-based support programs. And in Indianapolis, behind these programs is The Mind Trust, a clearinghouse for educational innovation.”

—PhIlAnThrOPy MAgAzIne, 2013

TEach for

amErica

TEachPlus

TnTP

Tfa PrinciPal

fEllowshiP

A DynAmic EDucAtion EcosystEm Public schools of

choice in Indy

#inDy inDEx

31

50+

#4Best city in America for family choice in education

Indianapolis is home to several dedicated partners who are committed to ensuring the school choice ecosystem provides exceptional opportunities for students. These partners include Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), the Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation (OEI), and The Mind Trust. Recognizing this work, UNCF selected Indianapolis as one of four cities on which to focus its community engagement work in K–12 education.

The Mind Trust, IPS, and OEI have partnered to support student enrollment, accountability, transparency and parent empowerment.

To ensure Indianapolis parents have equitable access to all public schools, Enroll Indy will launch the first ever unified enrollment sys-tem in Indianapolis. Enroll Indy is planning to launch with the goal of including all public schools—including charters—in IPS boundaries. This system will offer parents one applica-tion and a “single best of-fer” based on parent and student preferences.

Understanding that state accountability grades aren’t the only meaningful measure of school performance, The Mind Trust has partnered with IPS and OEI to pilot Equity Reports and University of

Chicago’s 5Essentials survey. The aim of this pilot is to work

toward shared measures of school performance

beyond test scores regardless of school type.

To promote transparency among authorizing bod-ies, state law requires all authorizers to publish their accountability frameworks. OEI meets monthly with schools to review their perfor-mance relative to the framework. IPS has prioritized the development of a performance framework for their schools in partnership with OEI to ensure transparency and efficien-cy for Innovation Network Schools.

Parent, student, and community engagement

are critical to the success of any high quality school.

The Mind Trust and its partners have several

initiatives to empower the community, including bus tours to high performing schools, community leadership groups, parent organizing investments, and community conversations around education.

Nonprofits & schools recruited or incubated by The Mind Trust

Commitment to Choice

Power of Partnership

Equity

AccountAbility

trAnspArEnc

y EnGAGEmEnt

Why Indy

Indianapolis lies in the center of America’s Heartland. Often overlooked by its larger neighbors, its nearly 900,000 residents know exactly what they have in the gem they call home. The vibrant downtown is known for its world-class sporting events, award-winning art and culture museums, and generosity of spirit. Indy is the Midwest’s best kept secret.The city is thriving—and the numbers speak for themselves. The cost of living is well below that of comparable cities and the job market is strong. The city is growing in almost every category that matters—from population to income to opportunity. It has proven itself a culturally diverse city, allowing for young professionals and families alike to grow and succeed.

Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Make a Difference

Housing market in the country

#Indy Index

#1

Residents of Circle City

Cultural attractions in the city1,184

900K

I’m consistently amazed by Indy’s ability to grow and shine in our ever-changing economy. If you’re looking to make an impact, few cities provide the opportunity like Indianapolis does.”

—EARl PHAlEn, CEO & FOundER, PHAlEn lEAdERsHIP ACAdEMIEs

Indianapolis is a Great City to Call Home

Best Place to Start a Career

Best downtown

Best Place to Start a Business

Best City for Major Sporting events

Best Place for Families

Most Underrated City for Millenials

TOP

naTIOnal RanKIngS

10

Median Home Price $134,000

Unemployment Rate 5%

Cost of Living 90th Percentile

Median Income $52,100

Job Growth Rate 2%

Net Migration 3.5%

www.themindtrust.org

1630 N. Meridian Street, Suite 450Indianapolis, IN 46202

(317) 822-8102