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Legal Prep Charter Academy presents prospectus for sixth–twelfth grade campus; board schedules June hearing for full application
Summary
Legal Prep Charter Academy presented a prospectus for a law‑themed sixth–twelfth grade school in Indianapolis and received feedback from the board; the operator will return to the Indianapolis Charter School Board in June with a full application and locally seated board members.
Legal Prep Charter Academy, an operator based in Chicago, presented a prospectus to the Indianapolis Charter School Board for a law‑themed sixth through twelfth grade charter school and outlined a phased opening plan and community outreach in Indianapolis.
Sam Finkelstein, CEO of Legal Prep, told the board the model emphasizes four years of law instruction for all students, mock‑trial and negotiations programs, judicial internships and strong social‑emotional supports. “We are proposing a sixth through twelfth grade program here in Indianapolis,” Finkelstein said during the prospectus presentation, adding that the school’s Chicago campus serves an area with high need and similar student demographics.
The presentation described a slow‑growth launch that would begin with sixth and ninth grades in year one, expanding by one grade a year until full sixth through 12th coverage. Legal Prep said its target first‑year enrollment would be approximately 170 students and that the operator has modeled contingency budgets that would support smaller opening cohorts.
Legal Prep representatives described community outreach to neighborhood groups, bar associations, downtown employers and faith leaders. The operator said it plans to locate the school near downtown Indianapolis to maximize internship and partnership opportunities with law firms, corporate legal departments and the courts.
Board members and attendees asked detailed questions about governance, local board membership, community engagement and how the operator will ensure the Indianapolis board and parent advisory groups are local and independent from the Chicago organization. Sam Finkelstein and Joseph Williams, the proposed campus leader who will relocate from Chicago, said the operator will finalize a locally seated board and expand the parent advisory council; the operator also said it will separate Indiana and Illinois governance structures contractually and allow Indianapolis leaders majority decision making for local operations.
The board did not vote on Legal Prep’s prospectus at this meeting. OEI staff told the board the prospectus will move to a full application stage and Legal Prep is expected to return to the board in June for a follow‑up public hearing and potential vote on the full application. Board members asked Legal Prep to provide a detailed recruitment plan, a local board slate and contingency enrollment budgets when it returns.
Public comment included Chicago Legal Prep alumni, parents and staff who traveled to Indianapolis to share program highlights and outcomes such as internships, dual credit and college persistence. Several speakers described judicial internships, dual credit pathways and the law curriculum as life‑changing opportunities.
