Herron Classical Schools Awarded $25 Million Grant
Herron Classical Schools is thrilled to announce that it has received a $25,000,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Marion County K-12 Public Schools Initiative. This is one of 34 large-scale implementation grants being awarded through phase 3 of the initiative, which is designed to help
strengthen the academic achievement of students in Indianapolis and improve their prospects for success after high school.
With the grant, there will be a transformative performing arts and science facility, constructed on Herron High School's campus, that addresses urgent and well-documented needs across our network. The new facility will allow students across our network to access the opportunities that drive long-term success: advanced coursework, hands-on science learning, and rich out-of-school-time experiences. The state-of-the-art science classrooms will be a physical and symbolic center of excellence, allowing expanded access to Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit, and interdisciplinary coursework to the HCS network. The auditorium will host theatre and choir performances, lectures, family events, and community programs—extending use beyond the school day while strengthening our engagement through high-quality out-of-school time opportunities.
“We are both thrilled and humbled by this generous gift,” said Janet McNeal, President of Herron Classical Schools. “With this support from the Lilly Endowment, Herron Classical Schools is poised to lead the charge in reimagining what’s possible for Indiana’s future: one student, one school network, and one academic advancement opportunity at a time. Our open-access policy for students wishing to engage in advanced coursework means demand has often outstripped our capacity. This grant, and the new facilities it supports, are a real game-changer for equitable access by removing structural barriers that keep capable students from realizing their potential.”
Herron Classical Schools (HCS) is a network of three intentionally designed, tuition-free public charter schools committed to delivering a classical, liberal arts education that prepares students from all backgrounds for academic achievement and engaged citizenship. The network includes our flagship Herron High School (HHS), our second high school campus, Herron-Riverside High School (HRHS), and our growing K–8 campus, Herron Preparatory Academy (HPA).
Since 2006, Herron High School has stood among Indiana’s highest-performing public high schools. Families choose Herron not just for its rankings, but for the school culture: one that blends intellectual challenge, inclusive community, and tradition with opportunity. HCS ensures that all students have the opportunity to enroll in AP coursework by removing traditional barriers and fostering an inclusive, college-preparatory culture. The majority of
Herron High School graduates earned an Academic Honors Diploma in 2025. Herron High School also received a $854,000 implementation grant from Lilly Endowment in May 2025 through phase 2 of the Marion County K-12 Public School Initiative.
Lilly Endowment is making large-scale implementation grants to private schools in Indianapolis through a
separate, complementary initiative.
About Lilly Endowment:
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.