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Hamilton Southeastern Schools is currently evaluating and opening a charter high school to offer students more career and technical education courses.
Last week, the school board gave the district the green light to apply for a charter school grant to fund the planning and implementation phases of starting the school, while also launching the charter school approval process, which gives the district the authority to approve future charter schools.
If the district is approved, it could receive up to $2 million to establish the charter school so it can open in time for the 2025-26 school year.
Steve Loser, director of PreK-12 initiatives at Hamilton Southeastern, told IndyStar that the district is pursuing this route rather than building a campus outright because it could potentially save money.
“We are currently evaluating whether this is a more viable option and whether our community and our board would like to pursue it,” Loser said.
He also said the district is aware that voters approved an extension of the district’s operating referendum just last year and that they want to delay requesting another referendum.
The district has not approved the opening of the charter school, and last week’s board vote merely began the discovery phase for the project.
Loser said the district will now begin holding meetings and asking teachers, students and other stakeholders for their input on creating this new school.
Why Hamilton Southeastern wants a charter school
Hamilton Southeastern is considering starting a charter school to expose students to more career-oriented options, such as courses in cosmetology, cooking or manufacturing, rather than having to pay outside vendors to run these courses or send students elsewhere.
The charter school is being considered for the Innovative Network School process, which would grant the school the same autonomy as an independent charter school, but could also benefit from services such as meals and transportation. The school district could also count the Innovation School’s metrics, such as academic achievement and enrollment, as its own.
A charter school is tuition-free, has more autonomy than a traditional public school, and is established through a contract between the charter school operator and a permitting authority. The charter school is also overseen by an appointed board of directors rather than an elected school board.
Indianapolis Public Schools has historically been the only traditional school district – along with Decatur Township – to use the innovation approach and have both charter and non-charter innovation schools.
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Hamilton Southeastern offers some career and technical courses at its two high schools, but most students complete these at either the J Everett Light Career Center at North Central High School or the Pursuit Institute in Hamilton County.
Loser said about 7% of high school students at Hamilton Southeastern High School are pursuing the CTE program, but said students have told him they would be more inclined to take those courses if they were closer to their school.
“Our kids aren’t going to take advantage of these opportunities if it means they’re not back in time for music practice or soccer practice or things like that,” Loser said.
The intent of the new high school is not to offer career courses for students who don’t go on to college, but to give students insight into skills they may need to find a job or pursue higher education, Loser said.
The district is also aware of ongoing changes in high school graduation standards and the increased emphasis the state is placing on workplace learning.
Who could be the sponsor of the school?
Hamilton Southeastern is considering hiring Opportunity Education to operate the school. This means Opportunity Education would manage day-to-day operations, set the curriculum and hire staff.
Opportunity Education is a nonprofit organization founded by Joe Ricketts, the founder and CEO of Ameritrade. Its work began in 2005 and primarily supports educational efforts in developing countries. The nonprofit has opened two private high schools in Nebraska and California.
According to The Gazette, they are in the process of opening a Quest Forward Charter School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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Opportunity Education would also help establish a Network Pathways Academy, which would benefit an additional 500 students enrolled at Hamilton Southeastern through funding from the Career Scholarship Accounts.
The charter operator would control the school’s budget and finances. A nonprofit board would be established to oversee the school’s performance and finances and act as an intermediary between the operator and Hamilton Southeastern as an authorizer.
There are eight charter school districts in Indiana, most of which are high schools. The Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation is the only traditional school district in Indiana that also operates as a charter school district.
Traditional school districts allowing charter schools is rare in Indiana and must be approved by the State Board of Education. Only three other school districts have taken this route, but in the rest of the country, traditional school districts are the most common type of school district, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Where would the secondary school be located?
The district has not yet decided whether it will build a new building for the school or purchase and renovate an existing one. However, the school operator would be responsible for the construction and costs of opening the building.
Loser said the building could be located in the downtown area of Fishers to make it easier for students to access due to its central location and proximity to potential business partners.
The new school will add a class each year, with the goal of having 125 students in the first year and then over 500 students by 2028.
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If Hamilton Southeastern goes ahead with the charter school, it would be one of the few charter schools with a fixed school structure in Hamilton County.
What courses could be offered at the new high school?
Some of the potential career paths being considered are based on data the district has collected through its work with Ford Next Generation Learning, what students have already expressed interest in, and local workforce needs.
Possible ways include:
- Entrepreneurship: Including cosmetics and culinary arts. Potential partners include Indiana IoT Lab and the Entremaker program at Hub & Spoke.
- Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing: Possible partners include SMC, INDEX Corporation, InCog and Stevanato.
- Cybersecurity: Possible partners include knowledge services and cybersecurity departments in companies.
- Life and Health Sciences: CAN, EMT, medical assistants. Potential partners include local hospitals, elderly care facilities, InCog and Stevanato.
- Event and sports media and management: Possible partners include Fishers Event Center, Pacers Sports and Entertainment Venue in Noblesville and Grand Park.
Loser said the district plans to announce dates for community meetings soon.
Hamilton Southeastern teachers’ union has initial concerns
It’s unclear whether the charter high school’s teachers will be able to join Hamilton Southeastern’s teachers union, but a state law says the school’s educators can form their own bargaining unit.
Hamilton Southeastern teachers union president Abby Taylor told IndyStar her initial concern about the charter school was that it could open the door to other students in the district and result in the district losing students and school funds.
Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or [email protected]Follow her on Twitter (X): @CarolineB_Indy.
