Career Academy hopes to move into the former Clay High School in 2028, while the South Bend School Board considers its options for keeping the building.
A judge this week ruled that the South Bend Community School Corporation has to make the building available to the charter school network for a dollar, under Indiana law.
During a press conference Thursday, Career Academy Network CEO Jeremy Lugbill said the hope is to move high school classes there for the 2028-2029 school year. That would give it more room for middle school classes at its current building.
Lugbill sees the move as the “next chapter for a neighborhood school.” Clay High School ceased full operations in 2024, but the school board decided to keep using the building for other purposes. That led to a dispute over whether the district had to make it available to charter schools or not.
In a statement Thursday, the South Bend Community School Corporation said board members “had a robust discussion” about the court decision during a closed executive session, and they plan to vote on their next steps during their public meeting Monday.
Lugbill told reporters that Career Academy is committed to working with South Bend Community Schools to minimize disruption during the transition and to honoring Clay High School’s legacy. But he says Career Academy still needs to look into the costs of the planned takeover.
