All About Charter Schools inIndiana: Charter Legislation and Law, Charter School Numbers, Enrollment and Academic Achievement, and Charter School Resources and Support Organization Contacts, as well as Indiana Department of Education Charter School Offices

Charter Schools in Indiana

Law:   Passed in 2001.

Rank:   6th strongest of nation's 40 charter laws.

CER Grade:   A

Schools:   10

Students:   1,275

POLITICS:

FUNDING FACTOR: A state senate panel has made progress on correcting funding deficiencies that have arisen in large measure because school districts have refused to fairly accommodate the needs of charter school students. More details in CER Newswire February 11, 2003. UPDATE: Just as a measure to provide a solution to the funding issue is making it way to final Senate approval, a bill has been introduced to impose a moratorium on all future charters in the state. CER Newswire February 25, 2003.

A FOR EFFORT: Indiana, only one year since the law was created, has already seen ten charter schools open successfully. The law is ranked among the strongest because it allows for multiple authorizers, it provides professionals with an alternate route for certification, and it provides charter schools legal and fiscal autonomy. Charter School Laws Across the States: Ranking Scorecard and Legislative Profiles, January 2003.

FUNDING, FINALLY: Organizers of 11 new Indiana charter schools set to open next month breathed a sigh of relief last week when approximately $392,000 in start-up funds was released by the State Department of Finance. The organizers, whose applications were approved as early as February 2002, have been fighting since then with the state DOE over language in the charter law that relates to start-up funding. Six months later, and only after Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter stepped in and found that it was the state's responsibility to release the funds, charter school operators will now be able to more effectively plan their budgets, hire teachers, and purchase much-needed supplies. This is great news for the charters opening this fall, but what's going to happen when a new round of applications are approved for next year? State policymakers need to work this year to clarify the funding provisions in the law and ensure that operators of a new batch of schools won't have to wait until the last minute to receive resources that are committed for their programs. From CER Newswire July 30, 2002.

DELAY OF GAME: Based on an unsubstantiated claim that all public schools operate with a 4 to 6 month funding lag -- and clear violation of the state's charter law --, the Indiana Department of Education recently made clear that it will withhold first semester funding for all new charter school students. Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, the Indiana School Resource Center, and four charter schools approved by Peterson are exploring ways to ensure that the state follow the law as written, but so far the DOE shows no sign of changing its stance. The state's school superintendent is an elected post, now occupied by Republican Suellen Reed. Grassroots groups are already discussing next possibilities. Get more details at CER Newswire March 5, 2002.

HURRY UP AND WAIT: Charter schools in Indiana aren't even open yet and already there are individuals seeking to deny them resources that would naturally flow to them once children choose to enroll. As reported before in the CER Newswire, not only are superintendents seeking funding changes, but the state announced that it will not provide any funding for charters until the January after the schools have started. For example, if a charter school opens in September, it would have to be privately funded to survive that long. The irony is that the same people who oppose private involvement in education are pushing it forward. (From CER Newswire, February 12, 2002.)

IT'S THE MONEY, HONEY: Financial scare tactics are the program-du-jour in Indiana among school superintendents, who want money for every child NOT educated in their district. The administrators say that they really do support charter schools, but "it's just the funding scheme we oppose." So rather than have money follow children, they'd like to be paid regardless of how many children they educate, in essence requiring the taxpayer to pay twice for the same children. (From CER Newswire, January 15, 2002.)

INDY APPEAL: Indiana's law already has spawned bountiful interest at some charter friendly universities, and another alternative sponsor, the Indianapolis mayor, moved swiftly but deliberately to appoint a panel, study applications and as a result, just announced the approval of four new charters for the greater Indy area. [From CER Monthly Letter, December 2001]

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Indiana became the 38th state to create a charter school law, and it's ranked among the strongest because it allows for multiple authorizers, it provides professionals with an alternate route for certification, and it provides charter schools legal and fiscal autonomy. From CER's State-By-State Charter Law Ranking Report, October 2001.

INDIANA CHARTER SCHOOL LAW: Indiana lawmakers delivered a strong charter school law to its citizens culminating the end of a seven-year effort

INDIANA'S CHOICE: WEAK OR STRONG CHARTER SCHOOL BILL: Indiana has the chance to pass the nation's 38th charter school law. Currently a bill is pending that would make Indiana a national leader, while another option provides few opportunities for charter school development. See Jeanne Allen's commentary in the Indianapolis Star, April 4, 2001.

LAW WOULD KILL SCHOOL REFORM: "Indiana’s powerful education lobby spent most of the last decade killing off charter schools legislation in the General Assembly by lining up enough votes to defeat it. The position was ill-advised, but the strategy was honest. This year brings a new tactic, and it looks like outright deception. What appeared to be a groundswell of new support for charter schools in the months leading up to this year’s session is looking more and more like an attempt to dash the concept once and for all by passing a charter law that will never show up in the classroom." Link to full Indianapolis Business Journal Editorial, February 19-25, 2001.

PROS AND CONS: In Indiana, support from charter schools is coming from diverse corners of the state, like Democratic mayors Bart Peterson, of Indianapolis, and Graham Richard of Fort Wayne, who are looking to have the option to authorize charter schools themselves. And the United Auto Workers, concerned about Indiana's standardized test scores, are urging that the legislature "take a significant step forward" toward establishing charter schools. On the other side, the Indiana School Boards and Superintendent Association support a weak bill that would allow only local school boards as chartering authorities. When asked how many public school districts were interested in actually starting charter schools, they dodged the question by answering: "We support charter school legislation." When asked what they would do differently with charter schools, they responded "More of the same things that we're already doing…" In essence: Charter School Law, Yes. Charter Schools, No. CER Newswire, February 20, 2001

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:

Charter School Resource Center of Indiana
10 West Market St., Suite 1990
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2973

Contact: Mary Ann Sullivan
Phone: (317) 464-2695
Fax: (317) 464-2039
Website: www.indianacharters.org
Email: indianacharters@indianacharters.org

Charter School Resource Center of Indiana: Works to facilitate the establishment and operation of high-quality charter schools, promote the growth and success of the charter school movement, and represent the collective voice of Indiana’s charter school community to the larger community.