Charter Board Approves Elementary School
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis Charter School Board has approved a charter for an elementary school set to open next academic year. KIPP Indianapolis already operates a middle school in the area, and plans to locate the elementary school on the east side of the city.
October 17, 2013
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — The Office of Education Innovation today announced the Indianapolis Charter School Board has unanimously approved Mayor Greg Ballard's recommendation for a new elementary charter school serving the east side of Indianapolis, opening next school year.
KIPP: Indianapolis, which currently operates a high-performing middle school in the Avondale-Meadows neighborhood, will open an elementary school serving in grades K-4. KIPP Indianapolis plans to locate the school on the east side, but a specific location has not yet been finalized. This new charter will allow the organization to serve students at an earlier age with the goal of preparing students for college.
“Providing parents and students greater options by replicating our successful charter schools is one of the cornerstones of our plans to improve educational attainment in Indy,” said Mayor Ballard. “High-quality schools are essential to the health of our neighborhoods and the vitality of our broader community. We are pleased that KIPP will now have the opportunity to serve more students on the east side of Indianapolis.”
KIPP Indianapolis College Preparatory, located at 3202 E. 42nd St., opened in 2003 and serves 300 students in grades 5-8. It has demonstrated increased academic performance in recent years, resulting in an A grade from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) in 2012. Additionally, KIPP earned “Reward School” honors from the IDOE in recognition of the school’s significant progress with low-income students.
About Mayor-Sponsored Charter Schools
Mayor Greg Ballard’s Office of Education Innovation (OEI) authorizes 31 charter schools serving approximately 12,000 students across Indianapolis. A 2012 Stanford University study found that students attending Mayor-sponsored charter schools receive an additional three months of learning in math and two additional months of learning in English Language Arts when compared to students attending traditional public schools. As the only Mayor’s office in the country with the authority to directly authorize charter schools, OEI is considered a Model Authorizer by the National Association of Charter Schools.
About the Indianapolis Charter School Board
Established in 2013, the Indianapolis Charter School Board has the statutory authority to grant charters to applicants applying to become a Mayor-sponsored charter school. During each application cycle, applicants must submit a letter of intent followed by a prospectus that details academic, operational and financial plans. Each proposal undergoes a thorough evaluation that includes internal and external reviews. In-person interviews are conducted with each applicant group, followed by a public hearing. Applicants are then invited to submit a Full Application. Final application decisions are made by the Indianapolis Charter School Board in a public meeting.
Source: Office of Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard