Indianapolis Public Schools paid racial equity consultant $1.3 million over 10 years (including over $680,000 in Title I funds); adopts equity policy that calls ‘color-blindness’ a ‘present day racial ideology’ meant to justify oppression

  • Indianapolis Public Schools - Indiana

Incidents

Issues

Indianapolis Public Schools’ racial equity policy claims that the current system is designed to “advantage for those considered white, and of oppression for those who are not white.” It also states that color-blindness is a “present day racial ideology” that ignores race as a means of “justifying oppression.” The district also paid a racial equity consultant $1,344,312.00 over 10 years for racial equity training and in 2020 the board put out a Black Lives Matter resolution.

On June 25, 2020, Indianapolis Public Schools passed board policy 1619 – Racial Equity Mindset, Commitment, & Action which defines “racial equity” as the “condition that would be achieved if one’s racial identity, in a statistical sense, did not determine how one fares” and is also a “commitment that resources are distributed based on need, recognizing that ‘equal’ treatment, opportunities, and resources are not enough within the context of historical and structural racism and discrimination that continue to manifest in our society.”

The district policy “Commitments & Actions” includes normalizing racial equity throughout the hiring process, as well as professional development, conversations, and even legislative lobbying.

BP 1619 – RACIAL EQUITY MINDSET, COMMITMENT & ACTIONDownload

An accompanying presentation titled Racial Equity Mindset, Commitment and Action from June 2020 states that in 2015 that district had launched “29 equity schools/programs” and engaged in a “partnership with the Racial Equity Institute, LLC (REI).”

The presentation also includes “2019-20 Milestones and Progress” such as executing a “youth equity leadership” program, a “racial equity summit,” and other activities focused on racial equity.

Racial Equity Mindset, Commitment, and Action – June 2020Download

On June 25, 2020, the district passed a Black Lives Matter resolution which states that the district will reduce the “number of [IPS police] officers in schools,” approving a “Supplier Diversity Policy to increase business opportunities for minority-, women-, and veteran-owned business enterprises (M/W/VBEs), as well as locally owned and operated businesses, requiring all partners doing business with IPS to adopt Equal Employment Opportunity Clauses in all contracts with the district,” establish “School Equity Teams,” “Prioritizing the recruitment and retention of Black teachers and school leaders through deliberate policies & programs,” and requiring a “Racial Equity Mindset” throughout the district.”

Res. No. 7863 – Black Lives MatterDownload

As part of its racial equity development, Indianapolis Public Schools contracted with Racial Equity Institute, LLC to assist in meeting its goals. The district paid the consultant $1,344,312.00 over 10 years.

In 2014, the board approved a $33,000 contract for three, two-day “Dismantling Racism Workshops” for forty employees. According to the board document, $22,000 was to be pulled from Title I funds to pay for the workshops.

In 2016, the board approved another contract with the racial equity consultant for $243,000 from Title I funds. The purpose is for the consultant to “provide organizational support, develop equity assessment tools, plan assessment tool use, plan individual school training, develop racially equitable classroom practices, enhance organizational development, provide leadership training, and create in-school structures for racial equity during the 2016-17 school year.” An attached proposal states that the agreement would include 17 “Phase I workshops,” 9 “Phase II workshops,” and equity coaching.

The district again contracted with the consultant for the 2017-18 school year, using Title I funds at a cost of $165,787.

For the 2018-19 school year, the district used $139,425 in Title I funds for another agreement with the racial equity consultants.

The district agreed to another contract with the racial equity consultants for the 2021-2022 school year for $133,600 from Title I funds.

For the 2022-2023 school year, the district committed to a $241,000 contract with the Racial Equity Institute.

The district continued it relationship with the consultant by agreeing to a $181,500 contract for the 2023-2024 school year.

The district extended its relationship with Racial Equity Institute for the 2024-2025 school year with a $207,000 contract.