NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch Calls for Safeguards and Public Accountability in House Bill 1423

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — January 19, 2026 — The NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch released the following statement today calling for improvements to House Bill 1423:

As the Indiana House Education Committee continues to promote House Bill 1423, the NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch is urging the Committee not to finalize a bill that fails to add clear safeguards that protect public accountability, public assets, and equitable funding for Indianapolis students and families.

House Bill 1423 proposes significant changes to how public education is governed, funded, and managed in Indianapolis. The NAACP supports efforts that improve coordination and fairness across public schools. However, we are concerned that parts of the bill shift too much authority away from the elected Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Board without adequate protections for voters, taxpayers, and communities.

Our position is straightforward: IPS must remain a viable public school district—accountable to voters, governed by an elected board, and able to protect public schools, public buildings, and public dollars. Any new governance structure must strengthen, not weaken, public trust.

The NAACP is calling for improvements to the bill that ensure meaningful involvement of the elected IPS Board in major decisions related to school buildings, transportation, funding, and closures; protect taxpayer-funded school buildings as public assets; require shared responsibility for transportation and special education costs across all publicly funded schools; and guarantee transparent public reporting and independent oversight of how education dollars are distributed.

We are also urging lawmakers to slow the pace of expansion and school closures while new systems are being put in place. Major transitions without stability and guardrails risk increasing costs, disrupting neighborhoods, and undermining student success—especially in Black and low-income communities.

Given the scale of the changes proposed in HB 1423, the NAACP believes lawmakers should also consider ways to ensure strong public confidence in the final outcome. One option that could help build long-term trust is allowing voters to weigh in through a public referendum if these safeguards cannot be fully guaranteed in law. Public education works best when the public has a voice in decisions that reshape their schools and neighborhoods.

The NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch remains committed to working with lawmakers, educators, and community members to improve coordination while preserving accountability, transparency, and equity. With the right protections in place, HB 1423 can better serve students, families, and taxpayers across Indianapolis.###

About NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized civil rights organization. Its mission is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. The NAACP Greater Indianapolis Branch was founded in 1912. Throughout our 113-year history, we have continued to fight for civil rights, particularly in the areas of job and housing discrimination. We have long sought to empower people through the ballot box and continue to vigorously defend voting rights and help register voters. We also urge the citizens of Indiana to stand in solidarity against divisive measures and advocate for the preservation and advancement of equality in our state.