DONATE
A new charter school is coming to Indianapolis at a time of growing uncertainty over how local tax dollars and facilities will be shared between traditional public and charter schools.
The Indianapolis Charter School Board voted 6-1 Tuesday to approve Legal Prep Charter Academy, a law-themed middle and high school that will open downtown in 2026. The school will follow a slow-growth model, starting with just sixth and ninth grades, and adding more grades each year until it serves students through 12th grade.
Much of the public comment at the board meeting supported the new school. Scott Bess, president of the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, praised the model and its experience serving Black students.
“It’s a high quality, new model that’s really needed in the city,” said Bess, who is also a member of the State Board of Education. “We’ve talked to law firms across the city who are really concerned about the lack of diverse applicants that are coming to their law firms.”
The school’s approval comes as a new Indiana law will require Indianapolis Public Schools to share local property tax dollars with charter schools within its district boundary — a shift IPS leaders say could force school closures.
Board members expressed concern about the timing.
“It’s very difficult for the community to see the recent changes and to say, are we ready during this time of transition?” board member Andrea Neely said. “Are we sure we can have a school that will be successful?”
Roughly a third of charter schools in Indianapolis closed between 2001 and 2024, according to a Chalkbeat Indiana analysis.
Neely also asked Legal Prep leaders if they had spoken with the IPS administration. Legal Prep CEO Sam Finkelstein said they hadn’t — but hope to collaborate with the district in the future. He said the school has support from local education organizations, including The Mind Trust.
Neely voted against authorizing the charter.
The school’s curriculum includes a law course at each grade level and dual-credit classes for juniors and seniors through Ivy Tech Community College. Legal Prep emphasizes internships and partnerships with law firms, where students build skills through structured programming. Organizers plan to open the school at a downtown location.
Jason Brown, chair of the Legal Prep Charter Board, said relationships with local law firms were a key reason the school chose Indianapolis for expansion.
“We see the future leaders of our community in Chicago,” Brown said. “We see that in them and we want to bring that here.”
Brown said the school is not deterred by current uncertainty in Indianapolis public education.
“Despite the fact that Indiana, much like many other communities, is kind of struggling to figure out where they're going to be or how they're going to deal with it, it's just a challenge that we can overcome,” he said. “But I think we can fit in the right place there and find our niche and do really well.”
The mayor’s Office of Education Innovation will remain in contact with school organizers over the next 14 months. Legal Prep must submit regular updates on safety inspections, building conditions, enrollment, staffing, and curriculum planning.
About 42,600 students are enrolled across the IPS boundary, including students at district and independent charter schools.
WFYI education reporter Sydney Dauphinais covers Marion County schools. Contact her at sdauphinais@wfyi.org.
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