Only Charter HS meets Federal Standards

Three Mayor-sponsored charter high schools are meeting federal academic standards

Indiana Department of Education determines three charter high schools only public high schools in Indianapolis to make Adequate Yearly Progress.

Three Mayor-Sponsored charter high schools are the only public high schools in Indianapolis meeting federal academic standards according to data released yesterday by the Indiana Department of Education. The Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School, Herron High School and Fountain Square Academy were deemed to have made adequate yearly progress (AYP) in student performance - a determination made after considering standardized performance indicators under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

"Students at Tindley, Herron, and Fountain Square are to be commended for their hard work in achieving these standards" said Mayor Greg Ballard. "We applaud the dedicated faculty at these schools for accepting nothing less than excellence."

NCLB requires schools to meet annual performance targets for both the overall student population and for student subgroups in the school, such as students coming from low income families, students with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, and multiple races/ethnicities. Schools must meet performance targets for all groups in order to be judged to have made AYP or reduce rates of failure by 10 percent or more. This year, Indiana raised the threshold for making AYP by increasing the minimum percentage of students required to pass state ISTEP+ tests. Overall, 40 percent of Mayor-sponsored charter schools made AYP this year, a higher percentage than in Marion County (31 percent) and the urban core of the city (25 percent).

"What is especially impressive about these three high schools is that they have met even higher performance expectations with significant percentages of students of low socioeconomic status," Mayor Ballard said. "At the same time, I echo Superintendent (Tony) Bennett's charge that we must continue to raise the bar and expect even more from all our students and schools".

About the schools

Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School (www.tindleyschool.org) provides a rigorous, college-preparatory program that challenges each one of its students to pursue education beyond high school. It was one of three high schools in the state of Indiana to be endorsed by the Indiana Department of Education for its Early College Program that allows students to earn one to two years of college credit while still in high school. Tindley currently serves 404 students in grades 6-12 with 53% qualifying for free or reduced lunch and 99% of its student body are students of minority races / ethnicities.

Herron High School (www.herronhighschool.com) provides a classical liberal arts, college-preparatory education. It believes that all students can learn to think logically, express themselves creatively, appreciate aesthetics fully, and approach any subject intelligently. Herron currently serves 333 students in grades 9-12, with 32% qualifying for free or reduced lunch and 51% of its student body are students of minority races / ethnicities.

Fountain Square Academy (www.fountainsquareacademy.org) is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty, one child at a time, through education. Its curriculum is designed to allow students to excel as fast as their ability allows. The school's Middle College program allows students to earn one to two years of college credit while in high school. Fountain Square currently serves 206 students in grades 5-12, with 80% qualifying for free or reduced lunch and 20% of its student body are students of minority races / ethnicities.