A strong record of advocacy
This is Lauren's first time running for office, and she was the first to file as a candidate. She has spent years engaging with DPS to propose solutions to the district's challenges. She is the right person for the job and will hit the ground running from day one.
Leading with expertise & empathy
As a parent of two children with reading disabilities, Lauren learned that E.K. Powe did not have any reading specialists or interventionists. In her role as PTA president, she partnered with teachers to bring more comprehensive reading intervention services into the building.
First, she collaborated with school administration to fund a partnership with the Hill Center to provide intensive reading intervention for students who needed extra support. Powe's partnership with the Hill Center is still a key component of the PTA's budget. In addition, Lauren worked closely with Powe teachers to train parent and community volunteers who worked 2-3 times a week with individual students to help them develop their reading and writing skills.
Lauren continues to advocate for more equitable allocation of staff positions to schools, including increased transparency around how central office makes those allocation decisions. Educators and parents deserve to know what resources their school should have. And all students deserve the academic supports they need to be successful.
Bringing wonky back:
Lauren is an advocate with real ideas
Lauren's advocacy has ranged from budget transparency to worker pay to redistricting and beyond. As an expert in education policy, she continues to offer her perspective on how to improve DPS operations.
Budget
Many of DPS' financial crises in recent years have been due to a lack of critical oversight from the Board. Lauren has advocated for clarity, transparency, and sustainability in our budgeting process.
Watch Lauren's public comment at the school board about the DPS budget:
Position Allocations
As DPS CFO Jeremy Teetor has come on board, there has been increasing transparency around how staffing works within DPS. This is a good thing, but his work has uncovered new issues.
Read media coverage of the classified staff pay crisis that cites Lauren's public comment at school board meetings in support of staff:
Growing Together
Lauren raised equity concerns regarding the implementation of the district's Growing Together student reassignment process.
Read Lauren's Op-Ed in the IndyWeek
