Agency Overview
Who We Are
The Indiana Charter School Board ("ICSB") was created in 2011 by the Indiana legislature as a state-wide charter school authorizer. ICSB's statutory purposes include: (1) reviewing applications to establish a charter school; (2) making decisions on such applications; (3) monitoring charter schools authorized by ICSB; and (4) making decisions on the renewal, nonrenewal, and revocation of charters granted by ICSB.
ICSB's focus on expanding quality public school options, both to give families a greater choice in deciding what schools best meet the needs of their children, and to ensure that students who enroll in ICSB charter schools receive a rigorous education that prepares them for college and careers. Each school authorized by the ICSB is assessed annually based on a rigorous and outcomes-oriented accountability system. ICSB annually publishes performance dashboards for each school as well as an agency Annual Report.
Our Mission
ICSB’s mission is to authorize and hold accountable a portfolio of high-performing charter schools in which students achieve high levels of growth and graduate prepared for college and careers.
Our Vision
ICSB’s vision is that students throughout Indiana have access to high-performing public schools.
Our Guiding Principles
1. Students First. When performing its duties, ICSB always assesses whether its actions will further the best interests of students.
2. High Expectations. ICSB expects the charter schools it authorizes to set high academic achievement expectations, develop strong plans for family and community engagement, and adhere to high ethical standards for students, staff, and board members. Similarly, ICSB establishes high performance expectations and ethical standards for itself.
3. Excellence in Leadership. Operating a high-performing charter school requires leadership from both the school board and administrative staff. ICSB authorizes schools that can demonstrate strong leadership at both the school governance and administrative levels.
4. Commitment to Innovation. ICSB is particularly interested in operators that show strong potential to accelerate student success through different school models, instructional strategies, uses of technology, staffing models, governance arrangements, family and community engagement strategies, and other approaches.
5. Rigorous and Transparent Accountability. ICSB holds schools accountable for performance through rigorous and transparent accountability mechanisms that uphold schools’ autonomy, foster excellence, and protect student and public interests.