New Gary school Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt is building partnerships with local universities and businesses. This can only benefit the district and its students.
Pruitt told The Times editorial board she sees the school district opening a laboratory school, a charter school and an Apple technical school.
Pruitt said she hopes Apple will help the city create a technical school to put students on a success track.
She is even looking at expanding the city's high schools to five years, with students focusing on traditional classes the first three years and on dual-credit or other college classes the final two years.
Pruitt said she wants to give students as many choices as possible. That's a good sign. Each child is different, so providing different approaches to learning seems likely to be more successful than what Gary has done in the past.
This seems more in keeping with Gary's early traditions as an innovative school system, led by public education pioneers like William Wirt, whose Gary Plan was widely praised.
Pruitt said she has been working with officials at Ball State University about not authorizing any more charter schools in Gary. The city has eight.
Ball State officials have said they would help Gary school officials learn how to set up charter schools, an area in which Ball State has extensive experience. The school district might opt to open its own charter school.
"I see charter schools as another opportunity. People have to understand that charter schools are public schools," Pruitt said.
We have said before that Gary Community School Corp. must act more like a charter school instead of sticking to the traditions that hold it back. Pruitt seems intent on making that happen. The board, and the public, should support her efforts.
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