Alternative schools provide options within the public educational system to students and parents who prefer nontraditional forms of education. By the early 1990s, there were numerous alternatives to traditionally organized schools in . Within the (IPS) system, for example, School 91 is a Montessori School for grades K-6. The Montessori option is also available at Schools 67 and 56. Magnet schools, another alternative option, offer a rigorous curriculum in some areas. Math and Science Magnet, Foreign Language Magnet, and the Broad Ripple High School Center for the Humanities are examples. Learning Unlimited is a school-within-a-school. Established in 1974 at North Central High School, it stresses individualized instructional programs, experiential learning, and the use of community resources. The Wayne Enrichment Center, an off-campus alternative to Ben Davis High School, serves academically disadvantaged youth in . Its students earn high school credit while acquiring occupational skills.
The (IPS 97), established in 1987, enrolled some 150 students selected by citywide lottery. Using cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, it was designed to give all seven intelligences (for example, kinesthetic and musical) equal emphasis through an interdisciplinary curriculum. Special interest classes, or “pods,” fostered the development of the various intelligences. The school’s Flow Center was designed to allow students to select and enjoy activities without interruption. Student progress was assessed in nontraditional ways. The school originated from the vision of director Patricia Bolanos and seven other teachers. After three years of research, the group secured a planning grant from the and support from then-IPS superintendent James A. Adams. By the late 2000s, the school struggled to demonstrate high academic standards. The IPS Board of Education closed the school in 2015.
*Note: This entry is from the original print edition of the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (1994). We seek an individual with knowledge of this topic to update this entry.
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