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This story was originally published by WFYI.
Political action committees have given over $150,000 to candidates in the race for five seats on the Indianapolis Public Schools board — despite a change in Indiana law that will significantly dilute the board’s powers.
The outcome of the election will determine the makeup of the majority of the seven-member school board as the district cedes control of its buildings, transportation and ability to raise taxes to a newly created agency known as IPEC, or the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation.
The PAC associated with the Stand for Children Indiana nonprofit, which has pushed for replication of high-quality charter schools within the IPS district, has given the most, over $117,000, according to the group’s pre-election filing with the state.
The Indiana Political Action Committee for Education, or I-PACE, the political arm for the state teachers union gave $15,500. The nonprofit RISE Indy, an education advocacy group aligned with education reform efforts, gave $24,200, according to pre-election campaign finance filings for candidates and the PACs.
In total, the candidates raised more than $257,000 with about 22% coming from individual contributions.
The figures reflect the amounts raised before the election, from April 11 to Oct. 9 and include both cash and in-kind donations — non-monetary contributions of goods or services.
The new school board will still oversee academics and the superintendent, but will be required to follow certain directives from IPEC, which will craft an accountability system and take control of facilities. Yet all three groups told WFYI the outcome of the election is still important, with a need to boost academic outcomes for students and a potential to help elect a majority of members who share their view of education in the city.
The election is a high-stakes one for the local teachers union, said Monica Shellhamer, vice president of the Indianapolis Education Association. The union has objected to the district’s loss of power to IPEC and has backed candidates supportive of traditional public schools.
“We’re very hopeful to be able to shift a new majority to our board,” Shellhamer said. “And hopefully that’s what happens come election day.”
RISE Indy gave the most to Hasaan Rashid with $20,500 in in-kind support, according to Rashid’s pre-election filings. It gave smaller amounts to six other candidates who received training on its voter database — a tool that helps candidates reach potential voters.
The group said in a statement that it offered the training to candidates who engaged with the organization through its programs, such as Circle City Leaders and Freedom Readers and who share the group’s commitment “to ensuring every child has access to an excellent public school, regardless of income or ZIP code.”
The campaign to support the $95 million annual property tax referendum for four years for IPS and charter schools, meanwhile, has raised roughly $107,000 — nearly all of which has come from Stand for Children’s national PAC. RISE Indy said it’s supporting the referendum through canvassing, advertising and social media outreach.
Justin Ohlemiller, executive director of Stand for Children Indiana said the new distribution of referendum funds — which under a new state law must be shared proportionally with charter schools— reflects sentiment from the group’s parent advocates to share that funding equitably amongst all public schools.
“There is definitely, definitely a lot this election cycle that’s critically important to all public schools within the IPS district,” he said.
The election is the first for partisan school board candidates, but no candidate received support from a political party or its PAC. All candidates filed to run as Democratic candidates, except independent candidates Heather Houston and Derek Redelman. Lindsey Cornett is an unaffiliated candidate.
At-Large candidates
Incumbent Angelia Moore has raised the most among the four candidates seeking the at-large seat. She reported $52,973 in the pre-election period, nearly all of which came from Stand.
Almost all of that was in-kind support in the form of staffing, advertisements, mailers and texting outreach, according to campaign finance reports. The group also gave her a $3,000 cash donation.
Sacha Sharp, who is endorsed by the IPS teachers union, raised roughly $22,000, more than half of which came from individual donations. She also received a $6,000 direct donation from I-PACE, the PAC for the Indiana State Teachers Association.
Candidates Alexander Nyirendah and Heather Houston, who did not receive any endorsements from the teachers union, Stand or Rise, reported a little over $1,000 each in their campaign finance reports. However, Houston’s report also indicates she received $1,200 in-kind from the RISE Indy PAC for training on its voter database. That contribution appeared not to be included in the total amount raised listed in Houston’s filing.
District 2 candidates
District 2 incumbent Hasaan Rashid raised the most in the race with $44,540, nearly half of which came from RISE Indy. Rashid received $20,500 in in-kind training from the group in the form of a digital advertisement and voter database access, according to Rashid’s pre-election report.
His opponent, Bryan Duarte, raised $10,820, a little over half of which came from individuals. Duarte also received $3,000 in a direct donation from the teachers union PAC and $750 from the Good Fight PAC, which is chaired by former Democratic congressional and attorney general candidate Destiny Wells and has given money to Democratic candidates throughout the state.
District 3 candidates
Candidate Derek Redelman raised the most in the race for District 3, with the majority of his $42,436 reported from Stand. Nearly all of the support is in-kind donations for digital advertising, mailers, texting and staff.
Incumbent Hope Duke Star, who sought no endorsements this year in her re-election campaign, reported raising no money. The fundraising efforts are a stark contrast to her first bid for the seat in 2022, when she outraised her opponent with about $79,000 in support from RISE Indy, Stand and the Indiana Chamber Business Advocacy Committee.
Daqavise Winston reported $4,570, including $2,000 from the state teachers union and $500 in-kind support from RISE Indy for voter database training and access.
Loren Heger reported $2,711, including the same $500 in in-kind support from RISE Indy. The majority of Heger’s funds came from individuals.
District 4 candidates
District 4 incumbent Chris Bultman reported nearly $21,000, most of which was in-kind support from Stand for get-out-the-vote efforts. He also received RISE Indy’s $500 in-kind donation for voter database training.
Bultman’s opponent, Lindsey Cornett, reported about $17,550. Most of that came from individual donations, although she also received $1,500 from the teachers union PAC and $300 in an in-kind donation for event space from the Good Fight PAC.
District 5 candidates
District 5 candidate Yuri Smith Sr. raised roughly $19,600, most of which came from Stand in the form of in-kind support. He also received $500 in-kind support from RISE Indy.
Incumbent Nicole Carey reported collecting $15,825, including $3,000 from the teachers’ union PAC.
Pearl Taylor did not file a campaign finance report, although RISE Indy’s pre-election report states she received $500 in an in-kind donation for its voter database training.
School board candidates are required to file campaign finance reports if they raise or spend over $500.
Candidates must file finance reports within 48 hours of receiving contributions of $1,000 or more after Oct. 10.A finance report that covers donations and spending for candidates and PACs through the end of 2026 is required to be filed by Jan. 20, 2027.
The election is on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting is underway.