The new organization that will make critical decisions for Indianapolis Public Schools and most of the city’s charter schools officially has its first leader.
The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation unanimously approved Karega Rausch as executive director on July 22. Rausch, who comes from national charter school leadership, will oversee transportation and facilities decisions for IPS and most of the city’s charter schools, as the city embarks on a first-of-its-kind framework for public education.
Rausch worked under both Indianapolis Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson and his successor Republican Greg Ballard as the director of the Office of Education Innovation. In 2014 he joined the National Association of Charter School Authorizers and became CEO in 2020. Rausch said at the meeting that he’s spent his career “being a bridge builder among stakeholders of different perspectives but shared aspirations.”
“It will be very important as we think about continuing to grow the important staffing infrastructure for this work, that we tap into really important knowledge that folks in IPS have, building on critical knowledge and infrastructure as key partners in this effort and endeavor, and I look forward to doing so,” Rausch said during the meeting.
Rausch will have to bring together two competing visions for the future of local public schools. Critics of IPEC already worry the newly-created board he oversees will focus more on supporting charter schools, as opposed to traditional public schools. Rausch said he brings perspectives from both sides and will prioritize engaging school community members.
“The beautiful part about what this board is designed to do is we are bringing all of education together and not favoring one type of school board and really producing the kind of system that will be great for all campuses,” Rausch said.
Rausch has lived in Indianapolis for 26 years and received his master’s and PhD in Educational Psychology from Indiana University. He said doing things collaboratively is what Indianapolis does.
“It is not often that someone comes home to their community to do the work that they have so successfully done across not only the state, but also the nation,” said Patricia Castañeda, an IPEC board member. “That heart of community and coming back home to bring all of those findings from across the nation home to Indianapolis [is encouraging to me].”
Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust, an education advocacy organization that has helped to launch over 50 Indianapolis charter schools, applauded Rausch’s appointment in a statement.
“He is one of our nation’s most well-respected education leaders, known for leading with integrity, humility, and an unwavering belief in children,” Brown said. “With Karega’s leadership, Indy’s public education system is well-positioned to build on its momentum and deliver even stronger outcomes for students.”
IPEC was created by a 2026 Indiana law to oversee facilities, transportation, and accountability for both traditional public and charter schools. Representation on the board is required to be equally split between charter, IPS, and community members. However, all members are appointed by the Indianapolis mayor and currently have some connection to charter schools through donations or school choice advocacy. Rausch said he would look at similar models in places such as New Orleans or Denver but focus on the knowledge that existing staff from Indianapolis schools have on the best path forward.
Rausch was picked from six finalists and 36 applicants by Mayor Joe Hogsett. He was recruited to apply for the role. Rausch’s salary is still being negotiated but will fall in the range of $235,000 to $325,000. Under the statute that created IPEC, the board has final approval over its director.
Under Rausch, Marion County voters will decide on a referendum requested by IPEC this fall, which would nearly double the tax rate on property assessed value. If the referendum fails, IPS could be subject to state takeover, Superintendent Aleesia Johnson has said previously.
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Lucy Tobier is the politics reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at lucy.tobier@indystar.com or on X at @TobierLucy
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: New IPS oversight board will be led by a national charter school group leader
Reporting by Lucy Tobier, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lucy Tobier, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
