Washington Township Schools have committed over $100 million in construction funds to diverse suppliers across central Indiana. 

When the $450 million construction and renovation blitz began several years ago, the Washington Township School District leadership knew it wanted to bring diverse suppliers into the picture. Dr. Nikki Woodson, the Superintendent of Washington Township Schools, says when voters in the district passed spending referenda in 2016 and 2020, there was an expectation that diverse suppliers would be brought into the fold. 

However, Dr. Woodson says there weren’t many examples from other school districts of involving diverse suppliers. “We didn’t have a lot of models.” She says that while many other businesses and universities used diverse suppliers, there wasn’t really a playbook. It was then that the district decided to bring in a consultant to help solve the puzzle.  

Dr. Woodson says the Washington Township community is diverse, and they wanted the money spent on construction to reflect the people who lived in their neighborhoods. She says she takes great pride in being able to involve diverse suppliers. “We are the most successful supplier diversity program for a public school system in the entire state.”

In addition, Washington Township Schools created a new slate of courses where students could get on-site experience and training in the construction and engineering fields. Dr. Woodson says since the crews would already be on site for long periods of time, it made sense to give the students a chance to gain experience in a possible career. “I know it makes a difference in our community. ”   

Dr. Sean Taylor, an Associate Superintendent and incoming Superintendent for Washington Township Schools, says, “We’ve learned a great deal.” He says the community wins when schools work with professional partners.