The Indianapolis Charter School Board approved a new charter school this week aimed to help students who are going through the juvenile justice system.
Indianapolis Deputy Mayor of Education Jason Kloth says the Francis Marion Academy will serve students within the Juvenile Detention Center where they can continue working toward their high school diplomas.
"We think this is going to have a powerful impact, both to address juvenile recidivism in our city but more importantly on the individual lives of children in our community," says Kloth.
There will also be a school outside the Juvenile Detention Center where students, as part of their probation, can go on to earn their diploma or technical certification. Kloth says the school comes as the result of bipartisan efforts from judges in Marion County.
The school within the Juvenile Detention Center is planned to start within the next year, and the other school will start in 2015.