This voter guide was co-published by Chalkbeat Indiana, Mirror Indy and WFYI as part of a collaboration ahead of the 2026 school board elections.
Four candidates are running for three seats on the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township school board in the November election.
The northwest Marion County district enrolls around 10,640 students. About 60% are Black and 27% are Hispanic, and 47% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Pike leaders are navigating several issues core to whether the district can successfully function.
On Sept. 9, the board released a letter that alleged some staff are fearful of district leadership and staff describe the leadership style as dictatorial and authoritarian.
In July, the home mailbox of school board president Terry A. Webster, Sr. was vandalized. Webster, and other board members, said they would not be intimidated and only work to do what was best for the district. The incident happened as some in the community were frustrated over the hiring process for a new co-director of athletics.
The board is also overseeing a complex financial landscape following the successful 2024 voter approval of a $14.5 million property tax referendum. Most of those funds are going toward teacher pay. The district is also one of the first in the state to share those ballot approved tax funds with charter schools who enroll students who live within the district.
Candidates who win in the election will be sworn in as board members in January and serve four-year terms ending in December 2030. School board members oversee district policies, goal setting and budgeting. They also hire and oversee the superintendent.
4 candidates running for 3 seats
Three incumbents — Alonzo Anderson, Wayne Moore and Terry A. Webster Sr. — are seeking new terms. Sherie Latoya Scott is running as a challenger.
All four candidates filed as Democrats. This is the first year Indiana school board candidates could declare a party affiliation when filing to run.
The three seats on this year’s ballot are at-large, meaning all Pike Township voters can choose among all the candidates. The winners represent the entire district rather than a specific area within it.
Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting starts Oct. 6 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., and additional sites open across the city Oct. 24. Voters must be registered by Oct. 5; registration status and polling locations are available at indianavoters.in.gov.
Meet the candidates
Candidates answered questions in a short candidate survey. Responses have been lightly edited for grammatical purposes.
Alonzo Anderson
Anderson, 49, is running as a Democrat, and is Pike's board vice president. He is a firefighter and previously spent 15 years as a financial banker. Anderson studied at Vincennes University. His daughter graduated from Pike High School in 2026.
Anderson said his social media campaign will begin in September.
Q: List your top three priorities if elected.
A: 1. Maintain Fiscal Responsibility — Protect taxpayer dollars through responsible budgeting, financial oversight, and long-term fiscal sustainability. 2. Evolve an Already Excellent Educational Experience — Build on our district’s strengths while continuously improving academic achievement, innovation, student opportunities, and educational standards. 3. Expand Community Engagement and Transparency — Create more meaningful opportunities for families, staff, students, and the broader community to participate, provide feedback, and stay informed about district decisions.
Q: What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
A: With state education and fiscal statutes constantly evolving, Pike must remain nimble and prepared to adapt. My approach will be to ensure that changes in state law are implemented responsibly without compromising Pike’s high-quality educational experience our students and families expect. Just as importantly, our community deserves to understand how these changes may directly or indirectly affect our schools, students, staff, and taxpayers. Transparency should not come after a decision is made — it should be part of the process from the beginning. I would expand opportunities for proactive communication through community town hall meetings, legislative-session podcasts hosted through the district website, informational updates, and other accessible communication platforms.
Q: What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
A: Pike will always adhere to the educational requirements established by the State of Indiana while continuing to look for innovative opportunities to expand what we offer our students. College is one pathway, but it is not the only pathway to a successful future, I myself can attest to that.
We should continue exploring and strengthening opportunities for students interested in skilled trades, technical careers, education and teaching, entrepreneurship, and other workforce pathways. I believe we should also explore opportunities to strengthen financial literacy, helping students understand budgeting, credit, saving, investing, debt, and responsible financial decision-making before they enter adulthood."
Q: Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?
A: Pike Township Schools has a strong public history of responsible financial stewardship, and we must continue to protect that reputation. As a board member, I will remain committed to responsible budgeting, accountability, and careful oversight of taxpayer resources.
Q: Some members of the Pike Township community have been frustrated over communication around the hiring of a new co-athletic director. How would you make sure the administration and board handles staff hires when the community has a high level of interest?
A: As a community member myself, I understand the frustration many in our community experienced during what was a difficult Co-Athletic Director hiring process. I also understand that, from the community’s perspective, a lack of information can create uncertainty and frustration. In addition, our Human Resources confidentiality requirements prohibited the Board from sharing certain details of the hiring process. While those requirements are important and must be respected, the experience reinforced the importance of finding better ways to communicate with our community while protecting the confidentiality of applicants and employees.
This experience provided the Board and administration with an opportunity to evaluate and develop a more streamlined and equitable hiring process. Transparency does not mean compromising confidentiality. It means being as open as we can be, explaining what we can, and continually improving the processes that serve our students, staff, candidates, and community"
Wayne Moore
Moore, 64, is running as a Democrat and is a current board member. He is pastor at Olivet Baptist Church. Moore has a bachelor's degree in theology from Central Baptist Theological Seminary and a master's degree from Simmons Bible College, according to his biography on the Pike website. He has three children.
You can learn more about More through his Facebook page.
Q: List your top three priorities if elected.
A: 1.) A continued support for public education. 2.) A continued support for students and parents. 3.) A continued support for teacher staff and support systems that make the district run effectively.
Q: What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
A: Fiscal responsibility, and strong elected school board members…. Who understand the constituency in which they are accountable to.
Q: What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
A: English, math, reading and give the community a greater understanding of the proficiency of our students, not just graduation rates.
Q: Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?
A: Holding the superintendent and staff accountable for finances and communicating it to voters as often as possible.
Q: Some members of the Pike Township community have been frustrated over communication around the hiring of a new co-athletic director. How would you make sure the administration and board handles staff hires when the community has a high level of interest?
A: Great question. Many of the stakeholders in the community are not familiar with the hiring process in Pike Township. This is one of the main issues as a board member I think the hiring process needs to be reevaluated and revisit it. At this point, the community is not aware that HR does not have the control of the hiring process. This is something that I think is problematic. If elected, one of my goals will be to make HR more transparent as it relates to the hiring process and give the community more understanding about how it works.
Sherie Latoya Scott
Scott is a longtime educator and held positions in Pike Township, at the Indiana Charter School Board and was a founding principal at Global Prep Academy, according to her LinkedIn profile.
You can learn more about Scott through her campaign’s Facebook page.
WFYI attempted to reach every candidate in this district. Scott did not respond to multiple requests to complete the candidate survey.
Terry A. Webster Sr.
Webster, 65, is the Pike school board president and is running as a Democrat. He is senior pastor of Nu Corinthian Baptist Church. Webster studied at Newburgh Seminary, according to his biography on the Pike website. He has three children.
Webster said he does not have a campaign website.
Q: List your top three priorities if elected.
A: School safety, academic improvement and student retention.
Q: What do you see as the most pressing issue currently facing the district? What will be your approach to addressing it?
A: The district faces the challenge of raising the current percentage of scholars with low test scores to being college ready by graduation. The approach will be to set District goals that will help reflect improvement yearly by measurable outcomes.
Q: What area of academics do you think the district needs to focus on and why?
A: Math and reading continue to be focused areas of improvement for our scholars. These areas are a national focus.
Q: Affordability and finances are top of mind for districts and voters. What will be your approach to district finances?
A: District finances should continue to be monitored by board/administration and be fiscally responsible, with state budget cuts the district must be prudent and prepared for the unknown.
Q: Some members of the Pike Township community have been frustrated over communication around the hiring of a new co-athletic director. How would you make sure the administration and board handles staff hires when the community has a high level of interest?
A: Continue to explore the best options available or introduce new options.
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.
