School to spend millions to rehab nautically themed armory
One of Indianapolis’ most unique historic structures, a naval armory vacant since early last year, soon will be bustling again—this time with high school students.
Charter Schools
Articles
Struggling Indy charter school set to close at year’s end
Indiana Life Sciences Academy West will be the last of four Imagine Schools to close in Indiana.
Indiana school voucher rolls grow 12 percent, to 33,000
Figures released Thursday by the state Department of Education show that private schools could receive nearly $135 million in state voucher payments this school year, up from $116 million last year.
Charter operator pitches expansion plan for city school
Five years after taking over management of three failing Indianapolis schools, Charter Schools USA has rolled out an unusual proposal for revamping Howe High School. But the plan could face resistance.
Counselor: Colleges should meet in public on charter schools
Indiana's public access counselor says trustees at private colleges shouldn't hold meetings in private when they decide whether to authorize public charter schools
Tindley charter schools chief’s exit didn’t solve woes
The problems at Tindley Accelerated Schools didn’t go away when Chancellor Marcus Robinson resigned. If anything, the change served only to highlight the challenges still facing the once-lauded charter school system.
New state charter board members asking tough questions
Five new members have joined the seven-member Indiana charter school board over the past year. The board is set to craft a new long-term strategic plan it hopes to put in place starting in 2017.
Tindley Schools CEO Marcus Robinson has resigned
Robinson had served at Tindley for 12 years and helped grow it from one school to six schools. But more recently, he had been under fire for using a company credit card to pay for top-tier hotels and first-class flights.
Charter school approval fuels new questions
When the private, evangelical Grace College & Seminary decided to authorize a public charter school 150 miles from its campus, it did so behind closed doors.
Hogsett signals charter school slowdown, focus on traditional public schools
The new Democratic mayor says he supports charter schools but is more interested in quality than quantity.
Cash-strapped Tindley sued over staffing agency fee
Pinnacle Partners Inc. has sued the charter school operator for allegedly failing to pay its $15,000 finder’s fee for placing a staff accountant. Tindley recently missed ambitious enrollment targets, creating a cash crunch.
Charter star Tindley in cash crunch as CEO’s expenses questioned
The much-lauded Tindley Accelerated Schools has missed its enrollment targets this year, forcing it to eliminate positions and seek loans.
Excel Centers giving more students a 2nd chance at diploma
Demand is up at Excel Centers, a network of dropout-recovery charter schools run by Goodwill Industries. Statewide, 846 students graduated from the centers in 2015, 33 percent more than last year.
New charter school to dump grade levels for ‘milestones’
A groundbreaking Ohio high school that has junked the concept of grade levels is the model for one of two newly approved Indiana charter school proposals. The school has been given the OK to open in Indianapolis in 2017.
Charters awarded $40M in loans from controversial state program
Indiana’s State Board of Education on Friday said it had received requests for a total of $77M in loans from 33 charter schools, exceeding the funding approved for the $50M program.
Indiana charter school loans moving ahead despite questions
The Indiana State Board of Education is moving ahead with a plan to distribute up to $40 million in loans to charter schools despite questions about a per-student funding cap included in the program.
Herron targets historic armory on White River for new high school
Herron High School hopes to raise enough money to turn an abandoned armory in Indianapolis into a new high school, according to Indiana Landmarks, which is trying to save the property.
U.S. asks Indiana education agency for data on poverty funds
Federal officials expressed that it is possible that both charter and traditional public schools may have received an excess allocation of federal dollars, the Indiana Department of Education said.
Federal officials: Ritz erred with charter school funding cuts
An email from the U.S. Department of Education to the Indiana Department of Education says the state incorrectly applied provisions of federal law when determining this year’s Title I poverty aid for charter schools.
Charter schools bemoan steep federal poverty aid reductions
The state’s charter school leaders say they are unfairly bearing the weight of Indiana’s $3 million reduction in federal Title I funding.