State Board of Education gives OK for CCSJ to authorize Thea Bowman (2024)

Indiana's State Board of Education has given its approval for Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting to authorize Thea Bowman Leadership Academy in Gary.

The authorizer cited several shortcomings in its decision, including high staff turnover, poor academic performance and declining student enrollment.

It also cited the school for not meeting academic and organizational performance standards in multiple annual reviews.

During the meeting on Wednesday, Carrie Hutton, the executive director of CCSJ Charter Authority, presented information on how the school would help address the deficiencies noted by Education One to the state board.

Hutton said they agreed with the current authorizer's assessment of the charter school not meeting standards in some areas such as strategic planning and providing adequate support for post-secondary readiness.

However, she pushed back on many other weaknesses pointed out by Education One, mostly relating to academic performance.

Hutton noted that Thea Bowman's standardized test scores were consistent if not better than those of charter schools and traditional public schools in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.

She also disagreed with Education One's assessment that the charter school's board was not up to par regarding good governance.

"Our expectation for exemplary governance does not include counting the number of questions each board member asks ... or the length of time that a board meeting lasts," Hutton said.

Hutton told the board Thea Bowman's academic success was a priority for CCSJ. She said faculty members from the college would work with the school to help in developing and implementing classroom curriculums, ensure teachers were properly licensed, and provide incentives to help retain staff members.

The executive director for Education One, Lindsay Omlar, also presented to the board information on why the authorizer decided to pull its sponsorship of Thea Bowman.

She told the state board that the charter school had been placed on probationary status and on a school improvement plan at the beginning of the school year to address areas of concern.

Instead of working on those concerns, Omlar argued, Thea Bowman pursued a change in authorizer in an attempt to avoid accountability.

Omlar also noted the limited communication between both authorizers, saying because of it, they have not been able to share more detailed information regarding the school's deficiencies.

However, she said they would respect whatever decision the board made.

"I'm not here today to sway your decision either way," Omlar said.

Prior to the vote, Indiana Sectary of Education, Katie Jenner, read a letter from Gary Mayor Eddie Melton expressing his support for Thea Bowman.

"I urge you to recognize the vital role Thea Bowman Leadership Academy plays in the city of Gary," part of the statement read. "It is a cornerstone of our educational system and a beacon of hope for our children."

A few of the state board of education members also raised some concerns, with Scott Bess reminding CCSJ that charter school authorizers are meant to hold schools accountable, not help operate them.

"There's a line between being an authorizer and running a school," Bess said.

He also said when similar situations arise in the future where authorizers come into disagreement, it should be encouraged for them to come together to work out their differences.

In a statement from CCSJ, Hutton said they were pleased with the outcome.

"We celebrate this decision and the opportunities for growth at Thea Bowman. We look forward to helping the school meet their potential," Hutton said.

The charter school's attorney, Jewell Harris Jr., said the school was elated with the state board's approval.