Vanguard Collegiate Family:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis (VCI). Since our opened its door in Fall 2018, we have strived to provide a high-quality education to the family of the near-westside and beyond. While we have made great strides as a school community, we do not currently have enough enrollment to continue to support and maintain the financial health of the organization. After considering all reasonable options, the VCI School Board has decided that Vanguard Collegiate of Indianapolis will close all operations effective October 6, 2023.

Throughout our school’s history, we have remained deeply connected to the Westside of Indianapolis and provided a progressive learning environment where classroom learning and community experiences synergize to prepare scholars for high school and beyond. Working together with scholars, teachers, and parents we were able to accomplish the following:

In Spring of 2023 in NWEA Math (as compared to Fall 2022):

  • All students: 60th percentile (growth) – 20% of students >80th percentile, 49% 61st or higher
  • Grade 6: 59th percentile, 17% >80th and 42% 61st or higher 14% at or above grade level mean RIT (spring) vs. 0% fall
  • Grade 8: 69th percentile, 21% >80th and 58% 61st or higher 30% were at or above grade-level mean RIT (spring) vs. 14% fall

In spring of 2023 in NWEA Language Arts/Reading (as compared to Fall 2022):

  • All students: 63rd percentile – 31% of students >80th percentile, 51% 61st or higher
  • Grade 7: 70th percentile, 33% >80th and 55% 61st or higher 16% at or above grade level mean RIT (spring) vs. 16% fall
  • Grade 8: 72nd percentile, 47% >80th and 58% 61st or higher 50% were at or above grade level mean RIT (spring) vs. 23% fall

In spring of 2023 in NWEA Language Arts/Language Usage (as compared to Fall 2022):

All students: 55th percentile, 26% >80th percentile and 40% 61st or higher
• Grade 7: 50th percentile, 33% >80th and 44% 61st or higher 26% at or above grade level mean RIT (spring) vs. 16% fall
• Grade 8: 58th percentile, 26% >80th and 31% 61st or higher 50% at or above grade level mean RIT (spring) vs. 27% fall

We take pride in the positive impact we have made on many young people across Marion County. We held true to our belief that outstanding outcomes for scholars come from scholars being supported through limited class sizes, high quality ELA and math curriculum, and social-emotional learning embedded in the student experience. We remain steadfast in our unwavering faith in our community and belief that scholar success is only possible when scholars, staff, families, and community work together.

We have prepared our Vanguard scholars for Indianapolis’ top performing high schools. When scholars graduated, they left with a desire for lifelong learning and a strong sense of self so that each day is a knowledge-seeking adventure. Although no “Vanguards” have graduated high school yet, we continue to track and monitor their progress. Believe High School (BHS) has served as our main feeder since they opened in 2020. They received over 50% of our inaugural graduating class. To date those scholars have accomplished the following:

  • On average, Vanguard at BHS have earned 11 college credits from Ivy Tech.
  • One Vanguard will earn her associate degree at the end of this, her junior year of high school.
  • The average GPA for Vanguards at BHS is 3.27/4.0.
  • One Vanguard earned a 4.12 GPA.
  • The average class rank for Vanguards at BHS is 13.
  • The Class of 2024 at BHS has four (4) Vanguards ranked in the top 10 (3, 5, 6, and 9 respectfully).

Please know that we fought hard for you, our beloved school community. And in that fight, we realize that the right thing to do is to close. Now, our number one priority is to ensure that your child gets enrolled in a new suitable school of your choice. We are here to help you navigate this process. We encourage you to immediately begin looking for other schools and to contact Enroll Indy (Internet website: www.enrollindy.org; Telephone: (317) 426-3234; Email: info@enrollindy.org). Atached you will find a flyer from EnrollIndy listing the schools closest to VCI. Please note that an enrollment fair will be held at VCI on Friday, September 29, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., where other area schools are expected to present information about enrolling there. Please reach out to us with any questions you may have with regards to selecting a new school.

Please be on the lookout for important emails and even telephone calls in the coming days, and feel free to contact our office with questions. Today, our hearts are heavy. We are grateful for the opportunity to educate and build relationships with your child and family. We hope that we have lived up to the promises we made to each family.

Sincerely,

Robert Marshall
Executive Director