Indianapolis Charter Carpe Diem Will Expand To Three Schools

Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana

Roughly half of a Carpe Diem student's day is spent in the "learning center" working online. School leaders say teachers review data about student progress and use it to shape the in-classroom lessons that occupy the other half of a student's day.

The Indiana Charter School Board approved Monday an expansion plan for the Indianapolis charter school Carpe Diem.

Carpe Diem, a blended learning school, uses traditional instruction alongside digital lessons. The current school is on Meridian Street in Indianapolis, and the two new schools that are a part of the expansion will be in Northeast and Northwest Indianapolis.

Hayleigh Colombo of Chalkbeat Indiana reports that these new schools were always expected to open:

Carpe Diem was approved to open six charter schools back in 2011, but each still must be approved individually by the state board. At full capacity, the new schools would each serve 300 students in grades 6 through 12. The Northeast side location is slated to open first in 2015.

Emily Richardson, who serves as the director of legal affairs and policy for the Indiana Charter School Board, said she believed the organization was performing relatively well on Meridian Street — both academically and financially. Last year about 73 percent of the school’s students passed ISTEP, right on the state average. The school has yet to receive its first letter grade from the state.

Carpe Diem schools are a part of the Indianapolis Public Schools district.