Former official to start Internet charter school

BOISE – The former chief academic officer for the state Board of Education plans to open an Internet-based charter school for about 500 students.

INSPIRE Charter School would be operated by Connections Academy, a Baltimore-based for-profit company. It operates 10 schools in seven states with about 2,500 students.

Randy Thompson, the former chief academic officer, formed a nonprofit group with two other individuals to run the program.

In his previous position with the state Board of Education, Thompson often sparred with State Superintendent of Education Marilyn Howard over charter school issues.

Thompson was a key player in reforming state charter school laws during the last legislative session. The statewide charter school commission that he helped create will likely will decide whether INSPIRE can open in Idaho.

Thompson said he does not intend to use his time with the state board to push for the school’s creation. He said he has not contacted any member of the charter school commission.

“I will not lobby the commissioners,” he said.

Thompson said he plans to leave INSPIRE’s board after the commission decides whether to accept or reject the school. He said is only trying to get the school started and that his interest in INSPIRE is as a parent concerned with expanding educational choices for students in the state.

No date is set yet for when the commission will consider INSPIRE charter petition.

INSPIRE Charter School would offer classes in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Idaho has at least two other similar programs – Idaho Virtual Academy and Idaho Distance Education Academy.

More than half the 4,790 charter school students in Idaho attend computer-based schools. Most of these virtual charter students learn at home using computer programs and other educational materials.

Students and parents have contact with teachers usually through e-mail and phone conferences.

Because the curriculum is delivered largely through computer, the school can draw from students across the state.

Students in Idaho virtual charter schools, which operate with state money, must take the same statewide standardized tests as students in regular schools.

And schools must meet state and federal requirements for improving student progress under No Child Left Behind or face sanctions that could include the state of Idaho taking over their operations.

Idaho created charter schools in part to foster innovative teaching methods that would offer new ways of educating kids in mainstream schools.

But the charter school concept remains fraught with controversy. Some parents of children in traditional public schools argue that a charter school education amounts to private education paid for with public dollars.