South Bend city officials give $1.5M to new charter school

September 13, 2011|By Chad Damp (damp@wsbt.com)

SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Career Academy has been open for 3 weeks, but it's still looking for money to finish renovating its building. The area's newest charter school came up $4 million short of the nearly $14 million it needs to complete the project.

School administrators turned to the city for funding and the redevelopment commission approved a plan to give the academy $1.5 Million. That money is expected to come from a state bond to be repaid by airport TIF dollars over the next three years, plus interest.

TIF money (Tax Increment Finance) is tax dollars used for economic and capital projects in specific areas in the city. This isn't the first time the city has used TIF money for education and both the city and academy agree the investment will spur economic growth.

"There are certainly a number of jobs that go unfilled here because we lack trained people in certain areas," said South Bend Economic Development Director Don Inks.

The new South Bend Career Academy aims to change that by educating students in fields like entrepreneurship, auto mechanics and construction to name a few. Up to 300 students, grades 7 to 9, can attend the free charter school this year with grades 10, 11 and 12 added consecutively the next 3 years.

"With our charter and what we're doing with the vocational education and career pathways is really a piece of economic development for the community because we're hoping to produce productive citizens for our economic development," said academy president Steve Hartz.

"We think that they're definitely filling a gap in some of the needs in the community for vocational training,” said Inks. “It's a good fit with the apprentice academy that already exists here."

That's the reasoning behind a decision by the South Bend redevelopment commission to approve the use of TIF money to help the academy finish renovating the once vacant 95,000 square-foot building it bought in the Blackthorn development area.

"It's great to have the building being used again,” said Inks. “The school brings its own sort of vitality to the area."

But even with the money from the city, the academy is still $2.5 million short of what it needs, which it hopes to raise through private donations.

“At this time we're feeling confident those dollars will come," said Hartz.

South Bend has used TIF dollars for both the Riley High School and Ivy Tech expansions. The money given to the Career Academy will be used to finish classrooms and add a gym. None of it will be used for operating costs.

The academy is still accepting enrollment for this year and any student in Indiana can apply. Click here to visit the academy website.

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