IPS Seeks Input On Changes To School Start Time

School start times will change in the 2018-19 academic year for nearly all Indianapolis Public Schools. 

For some families, this could feel a little like whiplash since IPS last changed school start times last The district has released numerous plans for the 2018-19 school start times in the past few months as they try to narrow down the options. Now, the district is looking at two options.

The district is asking parents to complete a survey that will be used by the IPS Board of School Commissioners to vote on an option at their April 26 meeting. The survey is due by 6 p.m. Friday, April 13. A Spanish language survey is available here.

The proposals are:

Option A

High School, Middle School, Innovation Schools

• AM Arrival 7:00 a.m.
• AM Bell Time 7:20 a.m.
• PM Bell Time  2:20 p.m.

Elementary

• AM Arrival 9:25 a.m.
• AM Bell Time 9:45 a.m.
• PM Bell Time  4:20 p.m.

Option B

High School, Middle School

• AM Arrival 7:00 a.m.
• AM Bell Time 7:20 a.m.
• PM Bell Time  2:20 p.m.

Some Elementary Schools, All Innovation Schools

• AM Arrival 7:45 a.m.
• AM Bell Time 8:05 a.m.
• PM Bell Time  2:40 p.m.

Some Elementary Schools

• AM Arrival 9:20 a.m.
• AM Bell Time 9:40 a.m.
• PM Bell Time  4:15 p.m.

Now, buses run on three tiers to get more than 20,000 students to school on time. Middle and high schools start at 7:20 a.m. and elementary schools start at 8:15 or 9:20 a.m.

IPS transportation director Manny Mendez has said the district’s new “all choice” high school model would put too much strain on the transportation service if it remained operating in three tiers. More than 400 buses operate daily to transport students.