Indianapolis Franklin Township Schools Board - NE Quadrant
In Indiana, a school board member helps oversee the local school district. Their main responsibilities include:Setting school policies and goalsApproving the district’s budget and spendingHiring and evaluating the superintendentMaking decisions about curriculum, facilities, and school programsRepresenting the interests of students, families, and the communitySchool board members work together to ensure the district provides a quality education and follows state and federal laws. They serve as leaders and advocates for public education in their community.Citations:Indiana State Board of Education – About the BoardIndiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired – School Board
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Zachary Smith Howard
(REP)
What motivated you to seek this position, and what education, training, and/or experiences make you a qualified candidate?
How do you plan to recruit and retain quality teachers?
What efforts can be taken to ensure student safety and well-being in school environments?
What is your approach to balancing budget constraints with the need for educational improvements and how would you prioritize funding allocations?
What is your perspective on the role of charter schools within the public education system, and what policies would you support regarding the relationship between charter schools and traditional public schools?
Do you or any member of your immediate family have a professional, financial, organizational, or other significant connection to a charter school or charter school organization? If yes, please describe the connection.
As the son of retired special education teacher and spouse of a former FCHS teacher, I ran to be a voice for educators and the families of Franklin Township. As I seek re-election to my third term, I am singularly focused on ensuring Franklin Township Community Schools remains the Best CHOICE for Franklin Township children and families. While I am not an FC grad, I am a proud public high school graduate and work as government affairs professional advocating at the Indiana Statehouse.
Franklin Township Schools continues to navigate their finances with a balanced budget, while working to grow educator and staff salaries. FTCSC is in year two of a district-led mentoring program for first-time educators and new hires to Franklin Township to support and better onboard these educators. Continuing to get more dollars to the classroom and the staff who make student achievement possible is reflected in all my 2026 campaign priorities.
Franklin Township Schools is blessed with fantastic school counselors and a growing network of student support systems to support the whole child. From a safety perspective, FTCSC has its own uniformed and commissioned police force, which includes school resource officers. Student safety and well-being is also being addressed by a new Director of Behavioral Systems, who's sole responsibility is to improve behavioral systems across FTCSC, from the school-level up (not district-level down).
The most pressing issue facing FT is maintaining excellence in student achievement and programatic offerings due to the makeup of how school funding works and the long-term effects of SEA 1-2025. FT is over 85% residential, meaning the mix of property tax funding received from the district is primarily from homeowners (1%). Maintaining and growing student enrollment is essential to the success of Franklin Township Schools, which is why having strong educators and quality facilities are crucial.
Charter schools are public schools and a choice for families in Indiana, including Franklin Township. State law requires FT share a portion of our operations fund dollars collected via property taxes with charter schools where students of legal settlement in FT attend. In this first year, FTCSC will share ~$64,000 among 26 charter schools, none of which are in FT. Moving forward, I support the State determining a more equitable system statewide to ensure operating dollars follow each student.
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