Ball State: 5 revoked charter schools lose appeals

Ball State University has closed the books on its January decision to pull its sponsorship of seven academically struggling Indiana charter schools.

Ball State said Wednesday that President Jo Ann Gora had approved a review panel's decision to reject appeals from five of those schools. Appeal panel leader Melissa Rubrecht says the committee made a good-faith effort to make recommendations in the best interest of the students, communities and Ball State.

The schools are the Imagine Indiana Life Sciences Academy-East in Indianapolis, Richmond's Christmon STEMM Leadership Academy, Gary's LEAD College Preparatory Charter School and two Fort Wayne charter schools — the Imagine Schools on Broadway and the Imagine MASTer Academy.

Two other schools which also had their charters revoked withdrew their appeals.