| Established: | 2005 |
| 21st Century Charter School of Gary | |
| Type: | Charter |
| Faculty: | 58.80 |
| Principal: | Elementary-Nicole McIntosh Middle School-Nikki Dates High School-Daniel Velasco |
| Enrollment: | 1,264 (2020-21)[1] |
| Ratio: | 21.50 |
| Address: | 556 Washington Street |
| City: | Gary |
| State: | Indiana |
| Zipcode: | 46402 |
| Country: | United States |
| Coordinates: | 41.6007°N -87.3388°W |
| Affiliations: | GEO Foundation |
21st Century Charter School of Gary is a public K-12 charter school in Gary, Indiana, United States.[2] It is authorized by and accountable to Ball State University.[3]
The 21st Century Charter School of Gary was established in 2005, originally serving grades 7–9.[4] The initial curriculum description said, "Spanish language classes for all students will be offered, and character development will be taught."
In 2012, all 19 seniors graduated and were college-bound.
The original school building had a capacity of 400 students, but by 2013 it had become overcrowded with more than 650 students. A new two-story $6.5 million building with 50,000 square feet was opened in September 2013 to meet the needs of grades seven through twelve; children in grades kindergarten through six remained in the original building.[5]
In 2015, the school celebrated graduating honor roll students, according to the Times of Muenster, Indiana, which described the school's affiliation with Ivy Tech Community College:
In 2017, CNN featured a student who was receiving a baccalaureate degree from Purdue University before her high school graduation from 21st Century Charter School.[6]
In July 2020, Ball State University gave a notice of probation to the 21st Century Charter School at Gary, questioning, "...why 21st Century — a school known to tout its early college program, providing students with opportunities to earn career certifications and college credits while in high school — was scoring below state averages in elementary and middle school reading comprehension and math."[7]
During the 2020–21 school year, the school served 934 students in grades K–12.[8] 21st Century Charter School's enrollment had increased by 23% over the five preceding school years.
As of 2022, EdRater published the school's cumulative test scores: