Are you a parent or guardian in Indianapolis, Indiana looking at alternate options for educating your child? As the chaos caused by the pandemic winds down, many families are viewing their child’s education with a new perspective. 

Parents want what is best for their child and are looking for a different approach to their child’s education. This article will help answer some of the questions about enrolling at a tuition-free public charter school as a place to educate your child.

Are charter schools public schools?

All charter schools are tuition-free public schools. As a tuition-free public school, charter schools have to adhere to Indiana state law. Charter Schools get funding from the state, much like a traditional public school. A charter school’s “charter” serves as a performance contract between the school and its state government. Public Charter Schools must fulfill their mission and realize student success in order to satisfy the state and renew their contracts. 

Public charter schools do have to complete Indiana state testing like other public schools. Some charter schools even utilize the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA). A study done by Ball State University found that charter schools tend to perform better on state and standardized tests than Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS).

Why do parents send their children to charter schools in Indianapolis?

There are many benefits of charter schools here in Indiana. Parents looking for a small school, where everyone knows their name, often look to charter schools to find a greater sense of community. Many charter schools are born out of a desire to create a like-minded community, where children can safely learn in a way that suits their needs.

When you take a closer look at academic performance, like the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) did in 2019, Black, Hispanic, and special education students benefited more from charter schools. Their test scores in reading and math were stronger than their traditional public school counterparts.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools measures charter school laws each year, and in 2019, Indiana took first place for the fourth year in a row for charter law, demonstrating the quality of the state’s law. Charter schools in Indiana receive strong freedom and accountability while the state government also tries to close the equitable funding gap between public charter schools and traditional public schools.

What tuition-free public charter schools are available in Indianapolis?

There are several tuition-free public charter schools in Indianapolis, but the one we recommend is Indy STEAM Academy. It is a high-performing public charter school whose purpose is to nurture the academic and creative talents of students through the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. 

We believe in educating the whole, unique child on his or her own path to success. Indy STEAM teachers provide 90 minutes of instruction for reading, math, and science each day. Additionally, 60 minutes of extra instruction is built into every student’s day to ensure that students are performing at or above grade level in literacy and math. We also offer tutoring and homework help to make sure no student falls behind. At Indy STEAM Academy, we have smaller class sizes of 15-20 students in grades K-6.

In addition to top-notch academics, we emphasize a positive mindset and development of the Six Pillars of Character. And finally, we forge a career path for our students by offering junior internships, job shadowing, and mentoring by engineers from our local industries. By the time our students get to high school, they will have seen multiple engineering and science-based careers available to them right here in Indianapolis. We want our K-6 students to know that they can go on to high-wage, in-demand jobs right here in Indianapolis thanks to their STEAM education. 

Can I enroll my child in a tuition-free public charter school in Indianapolis?

Of course! Charter public schools must have open enrollment policies, may not charge tuition, and cannot discriminate based on disability, race, color, gender, national origin, religion, or ancestry. At IndySTEAM, we offer free breakfast and lunch, uniforms, and before and after care. You can learn more about the awesome things going on at Indy STEAM! We would love to meet you and show you our school!

About Indy STEAM Academy

The mission of Indianapolis (Indy) STEAM Academy is to nurture the academic and creative talents of students through the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. We build a strong literacy foundation to ensure the achievement of all students and prepare them for high school, college, and careers in a 21st-century global workforce. Enrolling K-6 now!