Charters & Choice
The plan to transfer ownership of the School 110 building dovetails with the district’s expected renewal of its Innovation Network agreements with KIPP Indy.
The charter school bill that sponsors said was about accountability failed after hours of testimony Thursday.
The school had a rocky history in Indianapolis Public Schools but can now take advantage of the growing number of students who are eligible for vouchers.
The move by the Genius School comes after the charter authorizer overseeing it put it on probation and another authorizer rejected its bid for a new charter.
The state Supreme Court heard arguments for and against St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would be the nation's first state-funded charter school to teach students a specific religious faith.
The approval caps months of controversy about the opening of the all-girls school.
One proposes to improve accountability, though critics call it harmful. The other would open up a source of construction funds.
New York has been “a rather hostile political environment” for charter schools, Success CEO Eva Moskowitz said Wednesday.
The charter school didn’t enroll as many students as expected so wasn’t sure it would have enough funding to open.
Advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns that some charter schools may be taking advantage of a state law requiring the city to cover their rental costs.
To open, the charter school needs to rezone its former church building in Washington Township from religious to education.
The school would open within the boundaries of Washington Township Schools.
The demand is the latest development in an ongoing divide between IPS and the charter school community.
The break leaves the future of Andrew J. Brown Academy up in the air, in a city where the charter community has increasingly prized local control.
The district acknowledges that it will not sell School 102 amid ongoing litigation, but argued that the court’s order allows it to lease the building under certain circumstances.
Indiana’s policy climate has led to concerns about lax oversight, yet others say charter performance is what matters.
Lawmakers made Choice Scholarships available to most Indiana families last year.
The new athletic facilities would include a field for track, football, and soccer, as well as new basketball courts.
As Mayor Brandon Johnson and his hand-picked school board exert their influence, charter families and advocates see challenges ahead for the sector.
Critics say lower grades for public schools will advance Gov. Bill Lee’s school choice agenda.