David Harris Steps Down At The Mind Trust To Launch National Education Organization

David Harris, the founder and CEO of Indianapolis’ most influential nonprofit that has driven dramatic changes to the city’s educational landscape, is stepping down from The Mind Trust, the organization announced Thursday morning.

Harris will start a new national education organization as a founding partner, The Mind Trust said. The new organization will launch later this year, and will “help cities around the country build the right conditions for education change, drawing from The Mind Trust’s success in Indianapolis,” a press release said.

Brandon Brown, the nonprofit’s senior vice president of education innovation, will take over as CEO. Brown had previously served as the city’s charter schools director under former Mayor Greg Ballard.

Harris leaves The Mind Trust after 11 years running the nonprofit, which has helped steer the direction of the city’s charter sector and Indianapolis Public Schools’ creation of innovation schools, which partner with outside charter operators. Indianapolis is now looked at as a model in the rest of the nation for its collaboration between the district and charter schools.

The Mind Trust also recruited Teach for America, TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project), and Stand for Children to Indianapolis.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.