Its Future Once In Limbo, Gary Charter Will Remain Open After Finding A New Sponsor
Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana
Students at Gary's Charter School of the Dunes sit on stage during an after-school academic showcase in February.
When Ball State University officials announced in January they would pull their backing from Charter School of the Dunes, leaders of the school wondered if they’d ever see the inside of their still-under-construction $13 million campus on Gary’s east side.
But The Times of Northwest Indiana reports the school will remain open after Calumet College officials agreed to sponsor the school:
“This partnership will revolutionize the way schools partner with their authorizer,” said Danielle Sleight, Charter School of the Dunes board president.
Charter School of the Dunes approached Calumet College to become its sponsor, said Daniel Lowery, president of the Hammond school.
Under a change in state law, both private and public accredited four-year institutions can sponsor a charter school, he said. However, Lowery said Charter School of the Dunes is a specific case, and the college is not seeking to sponsor other schools.
“It’s not something we are looking to do with a lot of institutions,” Lowery said. “We were approached by Charter School of the Dunes, and it’s a particular case and it’s a good mission fit. We’re impressed with what they’ve accomplished to this point and think they have terrific potential.”Related
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Lowery said the college will provide more hands-on assistance to the school than other charter school sponsors traditionally might, to help address low test scores. A number of his faculty members have worked at charter schools, including the liaison the college has appointed to work directly with Charter School of the Dunes.
In February, we profiled Charter School of the Dunes and another Ball State-sponsored charter school in Fort Wayne facing closure — and we heard from university officials who raised serious questions about the seven schools’ academic quality.
“These schools said to us in their [initial charter] proposal, ‘We’re going to meet these goals and objectives.’ If they’re not meeting those standards that they set out, then that’s reason for non-renewal. It’s in the best interests of the student,” said Bob Marra, head of Ball State’s Office of Charter Schools, in an interview with StateImpact in February.
