That same year, the people of Indiana voted in favor of public schools, in part due to efforts by Indiana citizens; one of these citizens includes Caleb Mills, for whom the current Shortridge High School auditorium is named.

A few years later, however, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled in an 1858 decision that it was unconstitutional for cities and towns to levy taxes in support of public schools.

The school opened in the Marion County Seminary Building, although it was later moved to its present location.

The first wave of expansion came during the early part of the 20th century, the city of Indianapolis expanded as it annexed nearby towns such as Broad Ripple.

The movement of Caucasian citizens outside central Indianapolis at the time resulted in a decline of enrollment and a change in racial composition in schools such as Broad Ripple High School, which went from having virtually no black students in 1967 to becoming 67% African-American by 1975[citation needed].

At the same time, institutional racial segregation was coming to light in Indianapolis as a result of Civil Rights reformation.

This practice continued on until 1998, when an agreement was reached between IPS and the United States Department of Justice to phase out inter-district, one-way busing.

John Marshall High School closed in 1987 after just eighteen years of service.

Citizens' task forces studied how to combat school violence, low academic achievement, and persistent racial segregation.

After repeated conflicts with administrators, school board members, and parents, Zendejas resigned from her post in 1997.

"Pat" Pritchett, who had occupied the superintendent's seat in a locum tenens capacity between Gilbert and Zendejas.

Under Pritchett, the district saw eight years of steady academic improvement thanks to a number of initiatives, including a partnership with the National Urban Alliance to strengthen literacy and a math/science initiative that set algebra as the eighth-grade gateway math course.

Upon Pritchett's retirement in 2005, the post was offered to and accepted by Eugene G. White, who had been serving as superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township in Marion County.

In August 2006, White informed IPS middle school principals that their continued employment depended upon improvement in discipline and test scores.