Patrick O’Donnell // The 74How microschools are giving rural families more educational optionsA new network of charter microschools east of Indianapolis hopes to give rural families separated by acres of farms and woods a choice of schools similar to what’s available to urban families, The 74 reports. The charter microschools in East Hancock won’t be the first in Indiana: The well-regarded Purdue Polytechnic High School has a microschool spinoff in Indianapolis. Charter networks and school districts have also created microschools in other states, but the mix of factors in the collaborative’s plan — a public school district starting a network of charter microschools — is rare. Rural students can go to other districts or online schools, but students are too scattered to support many charter or private schools. Some are private schools, while others are charter schools — a form of public school operating independently.