Indianapolis Public Schools To Stay Open 'As Long As Possible'

Updated March 12 at 9:30 a.m.

Indianapolis Public Schools, the state’s largest school district, canceled all events for students and community members held in confined spaces until April 5.

In a message to families Wednesday night, IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson says the district is
talking regularly with the Marion County Health Department and other district superintendents
as it decides next steps to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

"Our goal is to keep our doors open as long as possible while prioritizing the health and safety of our students and staff," said a district statement. "These two things may seem at odds with each other, but please know we are weighing many factors in our decisions, including ensuring students are continuing to receive the consistent education and services that they rely on every day."

IPS enrolls nearly 32,000 students in its traditional schools and district partnerships with charter operators. A majority of the students qualify for free meals based on their family income.

IPS athletics have not been cancelled. High school sports are governed by the Indiana High
School Athletic Association and they will decide if changes should be made to competitions.

The below information was previously published:

Indianapolis Public Schools announced Tuesday evening that it has canceled all school field trips through April 3, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The health and safety of our students, families and staff is our primary concern in this fluid situation,” a statement from IPS said.  “These decisions are being taken to help mitigate and slow the spread of COVID-19 and to help protect the IPS community.”

Out of an abundance of caution, we’ve chosen to enact additional social distancing strategies. Our primary concern is always the health and well-being of our students. https://t.co/WF6i4ri2xv

— Aleesia Johnson (@AleesiaLJohnson) March 11, 2020

The cancellation includes Crispus Attucks' 11-day cultural exchange/trip to Tlaxcala in central Mexico set for next week. Five students, two staff members were expected to go.

Officials said, to date, no known cases of COVID-19 have been identified in IPS.

As of Wednesday morning, the Indiana State Department of Health had confirmed 10 cases of COVID-19 in the state. One of those cases is in Marion County.

This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Indiana State Department of Health for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.