Charter school's post-graduation program could be model for success
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One of Indianapolis' oldest charter schools could serve as a model for the new accountability system that will govern Indianapolis Public Schools and other surrounding charter schools.
Why it matters: The stakes are high. State law requires a path to closure for underperforming and underutilized schools.
Driving the news: The Indianapolis Public Education Corporation (IPEC) has a year to decide how the dozens of schools under its purview will be evaluated.
- The corporation's chair, David Harris, tells Axios that he'll be advocating for "life outcomes as a big part of how we evaluate whether schools are successful."
- Harris is also the president and CEO of Christel House International, operator of four area charter schools.
Catch up quick: Christel House opened its first Indianapolis school in 2002 with the mission to change the lives of impoverished children through education — something it does locally and around the world at its schools in four other countries.
- It was in one of those international schools that Christel House launched the program that Harris now wants to serve as a model for accountability locally.
- The college and careers program partners students with a coach for up to five years after graduation. They also have access to a graduate assistance fund that supports all kinds of post-secondary paths.
- Last year, Christel House began offering the program outside of its own schools, partnering with Lawrence Central and Lawrence North high schools, Irvington Preparatory Academy and Herron-Riverside High School.
What they're saying: "Our north star as an organization is helping to move kids out of poverty for life," Harris says. "We're not done until our kids are employed in a way that allows them to support themselves and their families."
- The school says its graduates have the highest earnings after graduation among Marion County high schools serving a high percentage of students from low-income backgrounds.
- That's the kind of outcome Harris wants the new accountability system to reward.
Zoom in: A working group of IPEC members is still drafting a proposed framework.
- Edward Rangel, a member of that working group, said during a recent meeting that it'll include academic performance and growth, along with enrollment and discipline data.
What's next: The full performance framework is due to the legislative council Nov. 30, 2027, and goes into effect for the 2028-29 school year.