Indianapolis charter board approves Legal Prep Charter Academy application

The Indianapolis Charter School Board on June 24 approved the application from Legal Prep Charter Academy, a law‑themed school proposing grades 6–12 in a slow‑growth model, by roll call vote.

The vote followed a public hearing that included testimony from Legal Prep leaders and more than a dozen supporters. The board approved the application after a motion to approve was made by Shameka Anderson; the motion carried in the roll call vote after six board members voted yes and one voted no.

Legal Prep would initially open with sixth grade and ninth grade in fall 2026 under a slow‑growth plan. The applicants told the board they expect to enroll about 56 sixth‑grade students and 119 ninth‑grade students in year one (169 total) and to grow one grade each year until reaching full 6–12 capacity. Executive director Sam Finkelstein said the organization is proposing a site “proximate to the Monument Circle area” and described the school as a college‑preparatory model that uses a legal curriculum to teach critical thinking and communication.

The Office of Education Innovation (OEI) staff outlined the next steps and…