A story that is getting a lot of media play here in Indianapolis is the news that two Catholic elementary schools — St. Anthony Catholic School and St. Andrew & St. Rita Catholic Academy — have petitioned Mayor of Indianapolis Greg Ballard’s office to convert into charter schools, allowing for public funding while maintaining operation under the organization of Mother Theodore Catholic Academies.
The schools have been around for several decades (St. Andrew and St. Rita merged seven years ago), but have been struggling financially as of late. As Schools Building Communities reported back in October, this is not a new dilemma for urban Catholic schools, yet Catholic conversions would be new to Indiana.
Wrote Robert King of the Indianapolis Star:
The move would require the schools to forfeit their Catholic identities — religious icons, daily instruction in catechism and trips for Mass at their adjacent parish churches during the school day. In exchange, the schools would get more than $1 million in student funding from taxpayers in the first year.
They would be Indianapolis’ first charter schools proposed by a religious organization, said Karega Rausch, director of the city’s charter school program, and possibly the first in the country. Catholic church leaders in New York, Miami and Washington have converted parish schools into charter schools, but those were operated by secular organizations, Rausch said.
This will be an interesting case to follow in the coming months. The rest of the charter roundup:
Ala. — Gov. Riley wants charter schools (Andalusia Star News)
Ala. — Charter schools not miracle cure (Montgomery Advertiser)
Ariz. — Tucson charter school listed among top ten best in U.S. (KOLD, CBS Channel 13)
Calif. — Cortines unveils plan to dismantle and rebuild Fremont High (L.A. Times)
Calif. — Education bill has its critics (San Diego Union Tribune)
Calif. — New speaker, but old school battle lingers (Sacramento Bee)
Calif. — End the race to mediocrity (San Francisco Chronicle)
Calif. — Race to the bottom (Fox & Hounds Daily)
Calif. — Assembly OKs ‘Race to the Top’ bills (Woodland Daily Democrat)
D.C. — If D.C. builds great schools, will white kids come? (Washington Examiner)
Ga. — Five proposed charters recommended for approval (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Ga. — Georgia Charter Schools Commission to vote Monday (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Mich. — State lawmakers continue pursuit of fed schools cash (Battle Creek Enquirer)
N.C. — Raleigh Charter makes top high school list (Raleigh News Observer)
N.C. — U.S. News ranks Raleigh Charter No. 24 (Triangle Business Journal)
S.C. — Greenville Tech Charter finds ranking a mixed honor (Greenville News)
Texas — Charter schools require prudence (San Antonio Express News)
Utah — Charter board may change application process (Salt Lake Tribune)
Wyo. — Wyo.’s charter school law fourth-weakest In nation (Wyoming Tribune Eagle)
Noted philosopher
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