Introducing Chalkbeat's interactive IPS election tracker

If you’re looking for information about the 10 candidates for IPS school board — who they are and what they believe — Chalkbeat has created a handy online guide to make it much easier to navigate the three races this fall.

Our new interactive election tracker on “The Next IPS School Board” allows you to compare candidates’ views on controversial and important issues. The tracker officially launched today and will be updated throughout the race until Election Day on Nov. 4.

“Chalkbeat’s goal is to help readers make informed decisions about where they stand when it comes to issues affecting our schools,” said Chalkbeat Indiana Bureau Chief Scott Elliott. “Our interactive election tracker will make it easy for IPS voters to learn more about how each of the school board candidates differ to be better prepared to make their choices on Election Day.”

The launch is only part of Chalkbeat’s ongoing coverage of the IPS school board race. Join Chalkbeat and its partners WFYI and the Indianapolis Public Library on Oct. 23 for a conversation about education featuring all of the school board candidates.

Elliott will moderate the free event, hosted at IndyPL‘s Central Library. We’ll ask candidates about the key issues facing the district and its students and take questions from the audience. The event will also be broadcast live online by WFYI.

There are three seats on the IPS school board that are up for election. The at-large seat currently is held by Annie Roof. She is challenged by former state Rep. Mary Ann Sullivan, Pastor David Hampton, Butler University instructor Josh Owens and Pastor Ramon Batts.

Michael Brown holds the District 5 seat representing the Northwest side and part of downtown. He is facing off against charter school administrator LaNier Echols.

Samantha Adair-White is the third board member seeking re-election in District 3, representing the North side of the district and parts of Midtown. She is opposed by former school board member Kelly Bentley and James Turner, a dean and athletic director at a charter school.

To see their positions on key issues facing IPS, such as charter school partnerships, school autonomy and private school vouchers, visit the election tracker at http://in.chalkbeat.org/IPSelection2014.