Indianapolis schools get a boost from $30M federal neighborhood grant

Students sitting around a table look at worksheets, with a laptop open in front of them. A student rests her face in her hand while a teacher leans down to talk to her.
Seven eastside Indianapolis schools are participating in the $30 million Promise Neighborhood grant. (Alan Petersime for Chalkbeat)

Seven Indianapolis schools will benefit from a $30 million federal grant aimed at buoying two eastside neighborhoods.

Announced Tuesday, the $30 million Promise Neighborhood grant will boost local efforts in the Near Eastside and Martindale-Brightwood communities to address poverty and improve education and community support systems.

“We know that families flourish when they have access to exceptional educational opportunities, strong economic supports, and deep networks of social capital that build resiliency,” Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson said in a statement. “We are especially excited to see how our students will benefit from the wide range of wraparound supports provided through the program.”

Seven schools will participate:

  • Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School
  • James Russell Lowell School 51
  • Brookside School 54
  • Paramount School of Excellence
  • KIPP Indy College Prep Middle School
  • Harshman Middle School
  • Arsenal Tech High School

Part of the five-year project includes, for example, providing coaches to help students explore college and career options, according to a press release.

The John Boner Neighborhood Centers will lead the project, working with several partners including IPS, the city of Indianapolis, EmployIndy, IUPUI, Children’s Bureau and Families First, Edna Martin Christian Center, The Mind Trust, and the United Way of Central Indiana.

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