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Members of the Indianapolis Public Schools Board of Trustees must appoint a new member to serve for the rest of the year after Vice Chairman Kenneth Allen resigned from the school board last week.

Allen took the oath fill the vacant seat of constable of the canton of Center on Fridayjust a few days later lose a second term as an extraordinary member of the school board.

IPS board policy requires the remaining board members to fill the vacant seat within 30 days, giving the board until early December to make a decision.

Board President Angelia Moore said she is considering next steps. State Law requires the board to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.

Constables are officials elected by each township in Indiana to serve legal documents and act as bailiffs in the state’s small claims courts. The Center Township police officer position had been vacant since former officer Denise Hatch pleaded guilty to a felony, the IndyStar reported. State law says local members of the previous incumbent’s political party must meet in caucus to choose a replacement.

Allen did not respond to a request for comment.

In a Facebook post On Saturday, he announced his resignation from the board and his new position.

“Serving our schools and community has been an incredible honor, and I am deeply grateful to the thousands of voters, supporters, volunteers and donors who worked tirelessly to re-elect me,” Allen said in his message. “Your faith in me has meant the world, and together we have accomplished so much.”

Allen raised more than $260,000 during his first offer for a school board in 2020 with the help of political action committees associated with pro-charter groups. However, during this campaign cycle, Allen said he would remain independent of that financial aid. He was the only incumbent running for re-election, and the three-candidate race was the most competitive election for a single county school board seat. In his candidacy for a second term, Allen asked. strengthening student safety, expanding literacy programs, strengthening teacher support, and maintaining community engagement.

The head of Stand for Children Indiana, a pro-charter group that makes large donations to its supported candidates through its PAC, said Allen sought the group’s endorsement but ended his interest after that the group chose its opponent Deandra Thompson.

Thompson defeated Allen and his third opponent Carrie Harris with about 56 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results. She won with over $90,000 in fundraising effortsin comparison to the approximately $5,500 collected by Allen.

The school board could tap Thompson to fill the vacancy for the remaining weeks of Allen’s term, but would not be required to do so, according to Lisa Tanselle, general counsel for the Indiana School Boards Association. Thompson, along with new board members Gayle Cosby and Ashley Thomas, will be sworn in to the board in January.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers schools in Indianapolis and Lawrence Township for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at [email protected]. Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at [email protected].