Ball State University drawn into 'charter shopping' debate

The long list of reasons included failure to provide basic materials for students like textbooks; “chaotic” school climate and culture; massive turnover of teaching staff; and the inability of school leaders to clearly articulate root causes for low and erratic student performance “when given multiple opportunities to do so.”

The Indianapolis school closed, but the two Fort Wayne schools re-opened as Horizon Christian Academies — private “choice” schools that accept vouchers from the state that pay the tuition of income-eligible students who would otherwise attend public schools.

A fourth Imagine charter school, Imagine Indiana Life Sciences Academy West, Indianapolis, withdrew its renewal application to Ball State at the eleventh hour and went “charter hopping,” also known as “charter shopping.” It was then authorized to continue operating by Trine University, a private school in Angola.

While Trine did not consult Ball State before authorizing the school, authorizers in the future would be required to do so if a bill (House Bill 1636) making its way through the state Legislature is enacted. The House already overwhelmingly approved the bill.

Charter schools are independent public schools designed and operated by educators, parents and community leaders. Open to all students and state funded, they were created to provide innovative and creative educational choices for students and their parents. As such, they are exempt from some state and school district regulations and have more autonomy than a traditional public school, in exchange for more accountability.

In 2006, Imagine, a national charter-school operator “trailed by a track record of questionable financial dealings” in multiple states, was rejected when it asked the Indianapolis mayor’s office to authorize several Imagine schools, according to ProPublica, an independent, national non-profit online newsroom. The mayor’s office cited “limited and mixed” performance of Imagine schools nationwide.

“So Imagine tried again with Ball State University, another regulator, got approvals, and began operating several persistently lagging schools until Ball State toughened up and sought to close ... three Imagine schools,” ProPublica reported. “The remaining Imagine school, which had gotten progressively worse over the years, going from a C to a D to an F, then jumped ship to Trine University.”

In a recent article, ProPublica revealed that Trine’s charter school office was headed by someone who had spent six years working for Imagine.

Ball State’s authorization years ago of Imagine schools pre-dates Robert Marra, the current director of Ball State’s office of charter schools, who testified in favor of HB 1636, which also includes other measures aimed at improving charter accountability.