Herron High School

What Herron High School does

Herron High School (HHS) is the flagship campus of the Herron Classical Schools (HCS) network, a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating tuition-free public charter schools in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2006, HHS serves approximately 920 students in grades 9-12 at 110 E. 16th Street, delivering a classical liberal-arts college-preparatory curriculum structured around the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) and Socratic dialogue, organized around an art-history timeline that integrates humanities, sciences, and mathematics. The academic model includes a mandatory four-year Latin sequence (or Latin plus Spanish/French), mastery-based grading requiring 70% proficiency for credit, 17 Advanced Placement courses plus dual-credit through IUPUI's SPAN program, and open access to advanced coursework. Educational operations are powered by third-party EdTech platforms including PowerSchool (SIS), Naviance (college/career readiness), Parchment (transcripts), a BYOD device program (Windows/macOS/Chrome OS), and the CEIA Open Gate weapons-detection screening system.

The HCS network comprises three tuition-free public charter campuses in Indianapolis: HHS (flagship, grades 9-12), Herron-Riverside High School (grades 9-12 by the White River near Marian University), and Herron Preparatory Academy (K-8 on Meridian Street near the Children's Museum), with about 103 faculty, administration, and staff listed across the HHS directory. Herron earns no tuition revenue; its operating model is funded by Indiana state per-pupil public charter funding, philanthropic grants (notably a $25,000,000 implementation grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in December 2025 plus an $854,000 grant in May 2025, both through the Marion County K-12 Public Schools Initiative), tax-deductible charitable donations via a 501(c)(3) advancement program, USDA Summer Food Service Program reimbursement, and corporate partnerships. Distribution is direct-to-consumer (families/students) through Indianapolis' Enroll Indy OneMatch unified lottery as the central enrollment funnel, supplemented by owned digital properties, social media, on-campus tours and information sessions, and word-of-mouth referrals. Academic outcomes include #1 charter high school in Indianapolis and top 2% nationally (U.S. News 2024), National Blue Ribbon School designation (2020), and graduating seniors earning ~$17M in cumulative college scholarship offers in recent cohorts.

Name

Herron High School

Legal name

Herron High School Inc.

Website

https://herronhighschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Herron High School is the flagship campus of the Herron Classical Schools network, a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating tuition-free public charter schools in Indianapolis that serve approximately 920 high-school students with a classical Trivium-based, Socratic-method, college-preparatory liberal-arts curriculum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical Education K–12 Schools (EDAJABAF)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• Classical liberal arts
• College preparatory curriculum
• Tuition-free public school
• K-12 classical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Per-Pupil State Funding: As a tuition-free Indiana public charter school, the school receives state per-pupil funding. The school explicitly states it 'does not receive property tax dollars for facilities, technology or transportation' and relies on donors, foundations, and corporate partners for those areas.
2. Philanthropic Grants (Lilly Endowment): Received a $25,000,000 large-scale implementation grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through the Marion County K-12 Public Schools Initiative (Phase 3, Dec 2025), as well as an $854,000 implementation grant from Lilly Endowment in May 2025 (Phase 2). Grants fund capital projects such as a performing-arts and science facility and academic programming.
3. Charitable Donations & Annual Fund: 501(c)(3) non-profit accepting tax-deductible donations via cash, check, credit card, Donor-Advised Funds, Matching Gifts, Gifts of Stock, Qualified Charitable Distributions, Planned Giving, and In-Kind Gifts. Annual Fund and fundraising events (e.g., Movie Night raising $55,000+) support operations.
4. Food Service / USDA Reimbursement: Operated in partnership with AVIANDS (food service vendor Jonathan Newlin). Receives USDA federal reimbursement through the Summer Food Service Program providing free breakfast and lunch to children 18 and younger at two campuses during summer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Herron High School is a tuition-free, A-rated public charter high school in Indianapolis delivering a classical liberal-arts college-preparatory education for grades 9-12 across the Herron Classical Schools network. Its curriculum is built on the classical Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) taught via Socratic dialogue, anchored by a required four-year Latin (or Latin plus a world language) sequence and an art-history timeline integrating humanities, sciences, and mathematics. The school layers open-access AP coursework, IUPUI dual credit, internships, fine arts, athletics, and structured advising on top of the core classical program.

Product overview

Herron High School operates as the flagship campus of the Herron Classical Schools (HCS) network — a single, integrated educational platform-plus-modules offering rather than a standalone product. The unified core is the tuition-free, classical liberal arts college-preparatory curriculum built on the Trivium (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) and Socratic dialogue, delivered across three campuses: Herron High School (flagship), Herron-Riverside High School (sister high school), and Herron Preparatory Academy (K-8 feeder). Layered on this core are a series of named academic and student-life modules — the Advanced Placement Program, Dual Credit Program (IUPUI SPAN), four-year Latin sequence, Academic Enrichment & High Ability Learners Program, Summer Academy remediation, and Senior Internship Program — along with student-support modules (College Advising, Student Resource Services/Special Education, Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center services). Student-life modules include the 40+ Student Clubs Program, Fine Arts Program, IHSAA Athletics Program and Parent Athletic Council, International Opportunities (EF Tours + Tlaxcala Mexico Exchange), and a campus-wide Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Technology Program with a rental track. Network-level operational modules include the unified Enroll Indy enrollment system, USDA Summer Food Service Program, PowerSchool information system, Awareity tip line, CEIA Open Gate weapons screening, and the network-wide Newsletter Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Herron High School (HHS): Flagship tuition-free public charter high school in Indianapolis, offering classical, liberal arts college-preparatory education for grades 9-12.
• Herron-Riverside High School (HRHS)
• Herron Preparatory Academy (HPA)

Products and services

• Herron High School (HHS) flagship campus
• Herron-Riverside High School (HRHS)
• Herron Preparatory Academy (HPA)
• Classical Liberal Arts Curriculum (Trivium Program)
• Advanced Placement (AP) Program
• Dual Credit Program (IUPUI SPAN)
• Four-Year Latin (and World Language) Sequence
• Athletics Program (IHSAA)
• Fine Arts Program
• Student Clubs Program (40+ clubs)
• International Opportunities (EF Tours & Tlaxcala Exchange)
• Senior Internship Program
• College Advising and Counseling Services
• Student Resource Services (Special Education)
• Academic Enrichment & High Ability Learners Program
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Technology Program
• USDA Summer Food Service Program
• Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center (SEMHC) School-Based Services
• Summer Academy (Remediation Program)
• Herron Classical Schools Advancement (Giving) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 charter high school in Indianapolis and top 2% of all U.S. public high schools (U.S. News & World Report 2024)
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Enroll IndycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndianapolis' unified enrollment system (OneMatch) that manages the application and lottery process for Herron High School and other Indianapolis charter schools. Families apply at enrollindy.org; Herron's waiting list of 300-400 students motivated the partnership. No paper applications; Herron provides on-campus computer assistance for families without access.
• EF Educational ToursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCurated short-term summer international trips led by HCS teachers; past destinations include Panama, Italy, Japan, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Romania, Slovakia. The school helps fund the gap in student fundraising to make trips accessible.
• Instituto Independencia (Tlaxcala, Mexico)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing student-exchange partner since 2010, with more than 120 students exchanged. HCS scholars study Spanish at Instituto Independencia, live with host families, and may apply for a semester exchange. In September 2016, the HHS Advanced Choir performed in Tlaxcala.
• INvestED (Indiana Student Financial Aid)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides free resources for college planning and financial aid to HHS students and parents via investedindiana.org.
• ParchmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationTranscripts ordered and securely sent to colleges and universities via Parchment (registration/account 546066); used by current seniors, graduates, and former students.
• NaviancecoreTechnology or IntegrationCollege and career readiness platform (student.naviance.com/herron) where scholars and families find scholarships, pre-college programming, and college representative campus-visit information.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system used for grades, attendance, log history, and parent communication; families must update their preferred email in PowerSchool to receive weekly Head-of-School updates.
• CEIA (Open Gate)coreTechnology or IntegrationWalk-through weapon and unauthorized-item screening system used before, during, and after school hours on each HCS campus, plus at off-campus school-sponsored events.
• AVIANDS (Jonathan Newlin, Food Service Director)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperates daily food service and the USDA-funded Summer Food Service Program that provides free breakfast and lunch to children 18 and younger at the HHS and HPA campuses (June–July).
• IndyGo (MyKey Sponsored Rides)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored Rides Program partnership providing any HHS scholar who needs transportation with an IndyGo MyKey card for unlimited free access to IndyGo's bus network.
• IUPUI School of Informatics and Computing (SPAN dual-credit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly college dual-credit partnership allowing qualified HHS scholars to take IUPUI courses (e.g., SPAN dual-credit coursework) and earn college credit while in high school. IUPUI's School of Informatics and Computing also serves as design-review partner for AP Computer Science projects.
• SchoolBellescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial school-uniform vendor; all HHS uniform items must be purchased from SchoolBelles online (school code S2275) or at the Indianapolis store (6315 N Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220). HHS offers uniform vouchers and resale for families on free/reduced lunch.
• PaylocitycoreTechnology or IntegrationApplicant tracking and HRIS platform hosting all Herron Classical Schools administrative, faculty, and staff job postings.
• Butler University (Peer C.E.L.L.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerButler University sponsors the Peer C.E.L.L. club, training HHS students as skilled mental-health advocates who work to prevent suicide and reduce mental-health stigma across the school community.
• Best Buy / Amazon / Newegg / Apple / Dell / HP (Student laptop retailers)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended retailers where families can purchase student laptops meeting the BYOD program's minimum specifications (Windows/macOS/Chrome OS, 4 GB+ RAM, 128 GB storage, antivirus).

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IDEA Public Schools: One of the largest tuition-free public charter networks in the U.S., operating K-12 college-prep campuses across multiple states with strong AP/college readiness outcomes. Comparable as a scaled charter network with rigorous college-prep academics.
• National Heritage Academies: Large charter management organization operating 90+ tuition-free public charter schools across multiple states, including Indianapolis-area campuses. Comparable as a scaled tuition-free charter operator with rigorous college-prep expectations and AP offerings.
• Rocketship Public Schools: National non-profit charter network operating tuition-free elementary and middle schools with a college-prep mission and blended-learning model. Comparable as a scaled tuition-free charter operator targeting underserved families, though primarily K-8.

Direct peers

• BASIS Charter Schools: National network of tuition-free public charter schools known for a rigorous, college-preparatory STEM-heavy liberal arts curriculum and consistently top-tier U.S. News rankings. Directly comparable to Herron's tuition-free, college-prep classical model with strong AP outcomes.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large New York City-based charter network consistently ranked among the top U.S. public schools on U.S. News with an intense college-prep, AP-heavy academic model. Comparable as a high-performing tuition-free charter network with lottery enrollment and outsized academic outcomes.
• Great Hearts Academies: Multi-state non-profit charter management organization operating tuition-free classical liberal arts academies grounded in the Trivium and Socratic method - the closest direct curricular peer to Herron's classical pedagogy, including the Latin requirement.

Regional players

• KIPP Indianapolis (KIPP Indiana Public Schools): Indianapolis-based charter network within the broader KIPP Foundation umbrella serving grades K-12, focused on college-prep outcomes for underserved students. Directly comparable as an Indianapolis tuition-free charter network competing for similar families.
• Christel House Academies: Indianapolis-based tuition-free public charter school network serving grades K-12 with a college-prep mission and wraparound services. Comparable as a multi-campus Indianapolis charter network targeting similar urban families.
• Purdue Polytechnic High School: Indianapolis-based tuition-free STEM-focused public charter high school with a Purdue University partnership model. Comparable as an Indianapolis charter high school competing for college-prep-oriented families, though with a STEM rather than classical emphasis.

Emerging players

• Hillsdale College K-12 Initiative (Hillsdale Classical Charter Schools): Network of tuition-free classical charter schools launched through Hillsdale College's curriculum initiative, using a classical liberal-arts pedagogy aligned with the Trivium. Comparable as a direct pedagogical peer in the classical charter segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HerronHighIndy
• Facebookfacebook.com/HerronHighIndy
• Instagraminstagram.com/herronhigh

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Herron High School