IPS Board OKs Policy On Student Fights, Plans Teacher Pay Increase

Indianapolis Public School Board approved a new policy Thursday that details how staff can intervene in student altercations and Superintendent Lewis Ferebee promised pay raises for all teachers next year.

The intervention policy comes after concerns that teachers were prohibited from breaking up violent fights.

The policy allows district staff to choose whether to use physical force to stop students from hurting themselves or others. District administrators will next create more detailed guidelines that explain staff are not obligated to use of physical intervention.

Indianapolis Education Association President Rhondalyn Cornett told the board the policy is too vague. She worries teachers could become harmed if they feel required to get between students during a violent fight.

Previously the district said a policy was in place that prevented intervention but it was later discovered no policy could be found.

Since last month -- IPS has been under scrutiny after a video surfaced showing a male student attacking a female student at Northwest High School. The video shows a staff member did not physically break up the fight.

Teacher pay

After the meeting, Superintendent Lewis Ferebee announced district teachers will recieve some type of pay raise next year -- the first in five years. 

Ferebee, board member Sam Odle and Tina Ahlgren, IPS’s 2014 Teacher of the Year, said they realize dedicated IPS teacher are leaving the district for another school and a bigger paycheck -- after years with little or no salary increase.

Ferebee called the raises a "monumental statement" to show that the district values techers who have been loyal to IPS.

“It’s an opportunity to retain and attract the best teachers for our classrooms," he said.

What that will mean and how the district will find the money, remains to be seen. IPS is expected to lose at least $10 million in state funding over the next two years.

Collective bargaining for teacher contacts begins August first. Ferebee expects details on increasing compensation to be announced then.

The IPS administration, school board, Indianapolis Education Association, and Elevate IPS -- a non-union IPS teacher group advocating for more pay -- have agreed that the new 1-year teacher contract would contain an increase of the base salary.

Contact WFYI education reporter Eric Weddle at eweddle@wfyi.org or call (317) 614-0470. Follow on Twitter: @ericweddle.