Charter Schools Measure Heads To Senate House Bill Allows Up To 12 Programs Starting Next July

Legislation authorizing charter schools is headed to the Idaho Senate after winning overwhelming approval in the House on Friday.

At the request of chief sponsor Rep. Fred Tilman, R-Boise, the House voted 61-4 for a bill allowing up to 12 charter public schools in the state starting next July.

The schools would be public, would have public school funding from the state and would be subject to some restrictions, such as using certified teachers, having open enrollment and meeting special education requirements.

But they would be freed from most of the constraints on regular public schools, and sponsors said they hoped that would lead to innovation and experimentation to improve education.

Similar bills have died in the past in the Senate, but this year, Senate Education Chairman Gary Schroeder backs the legislation and its chances of passage are considered good.

Tilman told House members the legislation has “tremendous support” after a series of statewide hearings last year.

One sponsor, Rep. Pat Bieter, D-Boise, said several groups have approached him with plans to form charter public schools.

He raised these possibilities:

Formation of a conservative, traditional school, with uniforms, stressing the classics and Latin.

Another group wants to combine an Asian language, perhaps Japanese, with English in the first few grades, with the goal of producing bilingual students.

A group is interested in art and music, and may seek a charter to operate a small school centered on development of music skills and other arts.

The Minidoka County School district may use the legislation as a way to set up an alternative night school, he said.

“It’s very exciting legislation,” Bieter said.

Voting against were Democrats June Judd of St. Maries and Bert Marley of Inkom and Republicans Tim Ridinger of Shoshone and J. Steven Hadley of Chubbuck.

Judd said she was worried about the possible effect on rural areas. If a number of students left the regular school system for a charter school, it might hurt a district’s ability to keep another school going, she said.

The legislation allows one charter school application from each school district, but no more than two in each of the state’s six regions. Applications would be made to local school boards. If a charter is denied, the group can appeal to the state Board of Education.

If a region doesn’t use its allocation of charter schools, other areas may try for that charter.

“It gives us the ability to bring some competition and choice into the marketplace of schools,” said Rep. Lee Gagner, R-Idaho Falls.