FORT WAYNE – Ball State University has set hearing appeal dates for two Fort Wayne charter schools.

Imagine MASTer Academy's hearing will be April 4, and the hearing for Imagine Schools on Broadway will be April 16.

Information about the status of the Timothy L. Johnson Academy appeal was not immediately available.

In January, Ball State announced it wouldn't renew the charters of three Fort Wayne charter schools, effective June 30. The university has served as the authorizer of Timothy L. Johnson Academy and both Imagine Schools. Officials cited poor performance and insufficient improvement.

In the weeks after the announcement, many parents rallied in support of their schools, and charter school leaders have said Ball State officials didn't communicate they were unhappy with the schools' test-score data and plans for improvement.

"We hope decision makers at Ball State University will consider the service we are providing. Parents value the choice we offer and want their children to attend our schools," Imagine Schools Regional Director Rachel Cirullo said in a statement.

Both schools hope Ball State will reconsider its decision based on improvement in this year's standardized test-score data.

Cirullo said the meetings will be held at Ball State and will not be open to the public.

For more on this story, see Saturday's print edition of The Journal Gazette or visit www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Saturday.

sarah.janssen@jg.net