Indy mayor asks Indiana for control of 4 schools

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The mayor of Indianapolis is asking the Indiana State Board of Education to give him control of four former city schools taken over by the state because of poor performance.

Mayor Greg Ballard announced that if the state board approves his petition at its Feb. 6 meeting, it would transfer to his office oversight of the private turnaround operators at Arlington, Howe and Manual high schools and Donnan Middle School. Transfer would occur at the end of the current academic year.

Ballard says Indiana School Superintendent Glenda Ritz supports the move, as do the private operators and the Indianapolis Public Schools.

He says day-to-day operations and academic decisions would remain in the hands of the school operators.

The state took over the academically troubled schools last year.