Tireless Advocate for Workforce Development and Equity

Indiana board member recognized with CUBE’s 2024 Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award

William (Bill) Turner is praised for his empathy, leadership, commitment to collaboration, and community-building efforts that inspire others.

January 15, 2025

BILL TURNER SPEAKS AT THE 2024 CUBE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

PHOTO CREDIT: ILIAN RIVERA

Indiana’s Metropolitan School District of Washington Township has long been a highly regarded, sought-after public school district. That standing is what led current school board President William (Bill) Turner’s parents to enroll him in the district’s North Central High School more than 40 years ago. It is why Turner and his wife, a teacher in the district, enrolled their now-adult daughters in the school system years later.

While its solid academic reputation remains, there has been change in the PK-12 district on the north side of Indianapolis. Most noticeably, what was once a largely homogeneous suburban school community serving a primarily White student population has become much more diverse in terms of culture, ethnicity, race, family structure, and socioeconomic status.
With an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students, 57% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. A majority of district students are students of color, including 40% who are Black and 22% who are Hispanic. In recent years, the district has struggled with racial disparities in test scores, raising concerns that the school system is not educating all its students as well as it should. 

With a record of service that shows a deep commitment to collaboration, community service, and leadership, along with expertise in workforce development, Turner has been instrumental in helping Washington Township schools establish policies to address its challenges, forge new ways of operating, and continue to thrive.

In October, his service was recognized with the 2024 Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). The award, which honors a school board member who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to representing the educational needs of urban schoolchildren, was presented during the CUBE Annual Conference in Las Vegas before an audience of nearly 1,000 school board members and advocates.

The award pays tribute to the contributions of Benjamin Elijah Mays, the son of parents born into slavery, who became a civil rights activist, education pioneer, mentor to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., president of Morehouse College, and an adviser to three U.S. presidents.

“Mr. Turner’s unwavering dedication to educational equity and his transformative work—from his early days in the Washington Township School system to his current role as associate vice president for Jobs for the Future—exemplify the spirit of this prestigious award,” said Gill Garrett, CUBE steering committee chair. 

“Bill Turner’s career exemplifies the power of visionary leadership in urban education,” said Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, executive director and CEO of the National School Boards Association. “His unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and student success has had a transformative impact on the Washington Township community and beyond.”

Steve Corona, secretary-treasurer of NSBA’s Board of Directors and an officer with the Indiana School Boards Association, had the opportunity to engage with this “servant leader” over the years and learn about his leadership roles with organizations including the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Greater Indianapolis NAACP, and the literacy nonprofit Indy Reads, as well as district athletic booster organizations and the school board. 

“Bill Turner cares,” said Corona. “He is more than an effective school board member; he is hard-wired into his community’s leadership structure, an individual who is constantly seeking a solution to the problems confronting his school district and community.”

Bill Turner speaking to a group of people

‘A LONG WAY FROM WHERE WE WERE’

Turner says he can’t pinpoint where his passion for community service began, “but it was always something I liked to do.” He also recognized that school district policymaking had far-reaching implications and influence. That influence extended to the community service organizations he was involved in and the goal of helping more children, especially children of color, excel. And in his professional career, first in manufacturing and later in workforce development, he's always paid attention to “how can I help people get into better paying jobs,” Turner says. 

Early in his tenure on the Washington Township School Board, Turner helped advocate for the inclusion of equity and diversity in the district strategic plan. “I really had to push for that from day one,” he recalls. Even before hammering out the strategic plan, there was a need to encourage conversations around issues such as unconscious bias and the role of diversity training. “There were a couple of board meetings where I probably ruffled some feathers. I’m kind of glad now that I did because we’re a long way from where we were when I first came on board. Which is good.”

He stresses that no advancement could have been achieved without his school board colleagues united in this effort. “That got us started to where we are today. But, of course, it was a matter of having the board behind me. It was never just Bill doing it.” 

CONSENSUS-BUILDING

During his tenure, Turner saw two referendums approved by voters that secured more than $400 million for district schools. A school construction referendum allowed the district to renovate aging buildings, build new facilities, integrate classroom technology, and address safety concerns. An operating referendum allowed, among other things, a significant expansion of mental wellness resources and awareness programming. “COVID did increase that need, but even before that, we had kids coming to school with all kinds of concerns or issues that impacted their ability to succeed,” Turner says. He observed that firsthand, having once worked in the school system as an in-school suspension supervisor.

In conjunction with the construction referendum, the district implemented a supplier diversity initiative to expand the awarding of diverse supplier contracts. The program, resulting in more community inclusiveness, has awarded over $110 million in contracts to businesses owned by women, minorities, veterans, and the physically challenged. 

“If the board did not push for that initiative, it would have been the same old companies getting all the funding and maybe, or maybe not, putting it back into the community,” Turner says. “This really has been about leaning into being as equitable as we could for the community who was actually footing the bill.”

Along with supporting diverse businesses throughout the community, the initiative has resulted in student internships and job opportunities in advanced manufacturing and construction, both in-demand career fields, with companies doing business in the district. 

“Throughout the process, Mr. Turner’s steadfast support and consensus-building made the program highly successful,” writes Washington Township Superintendent Nikki Woodson in a nomination letter.

“As the School Board President, Turner embodies the values of empathy and dedication, demonstrating that leadership is not just about governance but about building a community. His vision for a compassionate and inclusive school system continues to inspire others, paving the way for a brighter future for all students.” 

Michelle Healy is senior editor of American School Board Journal.