March 3, 2005
Contact: Luci Willits (208) 332-1591

COMMISSION WAITS ON TWO SCHOOLS

BOISE -The Idaho Charter School Commission will wait until April to make a decision on a new charter school in Pocatello and a statewide virtual school.

After hearing presentations and testimony from petitioners for the Academy at Roosevelt Center and INSPIRE virtual school, commissioners said they need more information. Commissioners asked both schools to submit additional material on budget, transportation and curriculum.

The ARC would serve 250 students in the Pocatello area in grades K-12 and teach Idaho standards utilizing online curriculum. Petitioners approached the Pocatello-Chubbuck School District for authorization and the district referred the petition to the Idaho Charter School Commission. INSPIRE Public Charter School would also serve Idaho students in grades K-12. The online charter school would offer the Connections Academy curriculum. This was the ARC’s and INSPIRE’s first appearance before the commission, and typically the Commission uses the opportunity to ask questions and gather information before making a decision.

Both schools will be on the agenda for the Commission’s April 14 meeting along with Renaissance Charter School in Boise.

There are five new charter schools opening in the fall, three of which were approved by the Commission. The new schools are: Idaho Arts Charter School in Nampa, Falcon Ridge Public Charter School in Kuna, Rolling Hills Public Charter School in Eagle, Compass Public Charter School in Meridian and Upper Carmen Public Charter School in Salmon. Idaho law allows six new charter schools to open per school year that are approved by a school district or the Commission.