What Happens When Students Find Their School Fit

Every child deserves to wake up excited for school. But the truth is, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to learning. Some students thrive in big classrooms, while others do best in smaller settings. Some want a hands-on STEM program, while others need a school culture that feels like family.

That’s where Indiana’s public charter schools come in.

Charters are free, public, and open to all. More importantly, they give families options so students can find a school where they feel known, challenged, and supported. Across Indiana, thousands of families have discovered that the right fit can change everything—not just a student’s academics, but their confidence, their curiosity, and their joy.

Walk into schools across the state and you’ll see this in action.

At Paramount Schools of Excellence, young learners are building robots, studying soil samples, and exploring the natural world through hands-on STEM projects as early as elementary school. You see students who aren’t just learning from a textbook, they’re learning by doing.

At Herron High School, classical education, the arts, and a culture of high expectations help students ask big questions and think deeply. It’s a place where curiosity is celebrated and every hallway feels like an invitation to discover something new.

And at 21st Century Charter School in Gary, the bar is set high. not only are students graduating at strong rates, they’re earning college credits, industry credentials, and taking real steps toward careers before they even cross the high school graduation stage.

These aren’t isolated stories. They’re everyday examples of what is possible when we design public schools around students rather than systems. Research consistently shows that when kids feel like they belong in their school community, their attendance improves, their achievement grows, and their love of learning increases. Fit matters, and students know it.

Families aren’t choosing sides. They’re choosing success for their kids.

And when we invest in strong public schools of every type we give every Indiana student the chance to find the environment where they learn best. We honor the fact that students are unique, families are diverse, and communities deserve options that reflect their needs.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about systems. It’s about students. And every student deserves a school that works for them.