The Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools is looking to work with a nonprofit organization, Opportunity Education, exploring the possibility of creating the first charter school in the HSE District, with up to 500 student by 2028.  The goal, according to HSE’s Director of K-12 Initiatives Steve Loser, is to create such a high school and also offer courses to students spending most of their time at HSE and Fishers High Schools.

Loser told the board this could provide career and technical education (CTE) to more students in the district.  Currently only 7% of HSE students are in technical education programs.

The board unanimously approved the MOU to move forward with Opportunity Education talks.

Becky Slayton of the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) wrote a post on Facebook critical of the HSE move to create a charter school.  She writes that such a charter school “often cuts out teacher voices” and the district brought this proposal to the union “the day before going to the board for approval.”

Slayton wrote the charter/innovation school model is “about deconstructing public education hidden behind a screen of CTE.”

Wealthy businessman Joe Ricketts, also the owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, is behind the creation of Operation Education.

You can see Steve Loser’s full presentation to the board at this link.