A St. Joseph County judge has ruled that South Bend Community Schools must sell the former Clay High building to charter school Career Academy of South Bend for $1, under Indiana law.
A 2011 Indiana law requires public schools to make underutilized buildings available to charter schools for $1, regardless of their value. Businessman Larry Garatoni’s Career Academy has been eyeing the building since the corporation closed it under a facilities master plan amid declining enrollment in 2024.
That year the Indiana Department of Education ruled the corporation must give Career Academy the building but in February of this year an administrative law judge reversed that decision. The corporation is now using the building for storage and to teach building trades.
But on Monday St. Joseph Superior Judge Mark Telloyan, a Republican, ruled again for Career Academy.
A South Bend schools spokesman on Tuesday released a statement saying the school board is reviewing its options and will meet behind closed doors Thursday to discuss next steps.
