A group of state legislators want the Indianapolis school district to sell a recently closed high school to charter operator.
The Indianapolis Star reports that the legislators have have sent a letter to Superintendent Lewis Ferebee and the Indianapolis school board, asking them to strike a deal to sell the Broad Ripple High School facility to Purdue Polytechnic High School.
Purdue Polytechnic, which just began its second school year, is trying to create a pipeline from underrepresented communities to Purdue University. The school recently won approval to open a second charter campus.
If a deal with Purdue Polytechnic were to happen, the district would need to act fast.
Scott Bess, head of school for Purdue Polytechnic, says a location for the second charter school needs to be finalized before enrollment opens in November, in order to stay on track for an opening in the fall of next year.
Bess says Purdue Polytechnic express interest in the Broad Ripple building earlier this year but was rebuffed by the district. District officials say they plan to run an open search for interested parties next spring, after taking the fall and winter to study reuse options and engage with the surrounding community.
Community leaders say the neighborhood has already made its preferences known. A survey conducted by the Broad Ripple Village Association found the vast majority of people want the property to be repurposed for a community use, such as a school.
The district plans to house administrative services in the vacant high school during the coming year while it weighs its options for the campus.
