Can a church in Indiana open a school without state approval?
Yes. Indiana lets a non-accredited nonpublic school operate, provided it gives 180 days of instruction and keeps attendance records, the same baseline that applies to homeschools. But a non-accredited school cannot take the Choice voucher, and most SGO and ESA money also requires accreditation.
What does accreditation require for Choice?
Accreditation by the State Board of Education or by a national or regional accreditor that the State Board recognizes, plus giving the statewide assessment and reporting performance data. The State Board publishes its list of recognized accrediting organizations.
How would a church school be paid by the voucher?
Per student, the lesser of the school's tuition and fees or the district amount where that student lives, $6,395 to $7,456 across this metro for 2026-27. A church school whose tuition sits below a district amount is paid its tuition, so pricing decisions shape revenue directly.
When should a new school apply?
Before period one opens on March 1 for the year you plan to enroll Choice students, so the school number, LINK Portal access and accreditation status are in place. Period two (November 1 to January 15) is a second chance mid-year.
What else should a congregation plan for?
Separate child care licensing through FSSA if you run a preschool or daycare, SGO partnerships for families under the income line, and an ESA participating-entity application if you plan to serve students with IEPs.
| Non-accredited nonpublic school | Accredited Choice school | |
|---|---|---|
| Can open quickly | Yes | After accreditation |
| Choice voucher | No | Yes |
| Statewide assessment | Not required | Required |
| ESA tuition | No (qualified schools are accredited) | Yes, after ESA approval |