Less than a year after the Gary Community School Corp., escaped state control, its future is in jeopardy again.

This time, GOP lawmakers have written a bill to dissolve Gary and four other districts, including the Indianapolis Public Schools.

House Bill 1136, filed by Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, calls for a school district to dissolve if more than 50% of students in its legal settlement area attend school elsewhere by the fall 2024 student count date.

According to state fall enrollment data, there were 11,764 children in Gary’s settlement area and 35%, or 4,144, attended the Gary Community School Corp. schools. Other students are dispersed across charter and private schools in the city.

Under the bill, nine public schools in Gary would be transitioned to operate as charter schools. The bill also establishes a new governing board, requirements, and procedures regarding the dissolution.

“I authored this legislation to ensure school corporations are giving our children the best education possible and to find solutions in districts where the current governance is failing its students,” said Teshka in a statement.

“This bill would only apply to school districts where more than half of the students and families living within the school district’s boundaries are choosing to attend other schools, meaning their property taxes are funding a school system they don’t attend. This is an important conversation to have, and I look forward to hearing from parents, educators, administrators and other stakeholders on the best path forward to ensure every Hoosier student receives a quality Modoc, and Cannelton City Schools in Cannelton.

In Gary’s case, the district was flooded with charter schools after the state legalized them in 2003. Gary has eight charters, tops in the state per capita.

Two operate as dropout recovery schools, primarily serving adults.

Indiana established charter school legislation in 2001. The Gary district’s enrollment dropped 73% from 2007 to 2023, the highest amount lost by any Indiana district.

It fell under state control in 2017 as its finances spiraled and it couldn’t pay bills or payroll.

The state’s Distressed Unit Appeal Board released Gary from state control last July under the governance of an appointed school board. State Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, is one of the bill’s co-authors. He chairs the House Ways & Means Committee and is an advisory DUAB member.

The General Assembly re-convenes for its 2025 session Wednesday afternoon. Teshka’s bill was assigned to the House Education Committee, where Teshka is a member.

State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, also a member of the Education Committee, opposes the bill along with Gary Teachers Union President GlenEva Dunham.

Smith hopes Gary and IPS can put together a coalition with the other three rural districts to fight the legislation. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers and the governor’s office.

“I think it’s unfair to Gary, it’s been under state control for seven years. This one year we’ve been under local control, they’re forcing us into charters,” Smith said.

“They don’t care about what citizens want. It’s a situation when you have absolute control, they want to do what they want to do.”

Smith blamed Gary’s former state-appointed management team for failing to market the district in the community.

He said Superintendent Yvonne Stokes has been updated on the bill, but she hasn’t issued a statement yet.

Dunham called House Bill 1136 “a bad bill. Parents choose to put their children in public schools. Our coalition will be meeting this week to work against this bill.”

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.