INDIANAPOLIS (AP): A charter school scheduled to open next year in Indianapolis will cater to juvenile offenders and troubled youths and could be the first of its kind in the U.S.

The Indianapolis Star reports (http://indy.st/1hb4ob9 ) the Francis Marion Academy will focus on students released from detention and those suspended or expelled from school. An offshoot at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center will provide detainees six hours of instruction each day.

As many as 200 students in grades six through 12 could participate in the academy when it opens for the 2015-2016 school year.

The goal of the program is to provide instruction in a highly structured environment and help students earn an Indiana Core 40 diploma and at least one industry-related certificate so they are ready for the workforce.

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