Nothing Gained, Nothing Lost for Idaho’s Charter Schools

in 2007 Legislative Session

The 2007 Idaho Legislature adjourned last Friday, March 30.  For public charter school advocates, there were two issues that received some attention by lawmakers this year, and comparatively few efforts to undermine charter school operations in Idaho.

As always, it remains important to get to know your local legislators and discuss the virtues of school choice and charter school successes in Idaho.  We urge you to work with your school administrator and invite legislators to visit your school before the summer break.

Extra-Curricular Fee Structure Stalls in the State Senate

Senator Russ Fulcher introduced legislation to place reasonable parameters on the fees school districts can charge charter school students for taking part in traditional schools’ extra-curricular activities.  Charter school parents in his legislative district urged him to help resolve an issue where the Kuna and Nampa School Districts are charging charter students as much as $1000 to play sports and extra-curricular music programs at their schools.  The Coalition worked with Senator Fulcher to craft the language of the bill, which would have limited the fee to $150.

After three days of debate in the Senate Education Committee, the bill was held on the Senate amending calendar, and it will not advance in this legislative session.  The committee members clearly understood that this is an isolated problem in the Nampa and Kuna school districts, and urged the parties to get together to work out the issue, rather than attempt to pass state law.  The majority also agreed that there was little justification for the outrageous fees being charged.  The Kuna School District Board and the Falcon Ridge Charter School Board have since engaged in negotiating a mutually agreed upon fee structure.

As many of you know, other districts around the state do not charge any fees for our charter students to take part in district extra-curricular activities.  Our goal is to ensure that those districts do not use the Kuna/Nampa example to begin doing so.  We will watch this issue very closely, and ask you to make us aware of any changes in your District.

Legislative Office of Performance Evaluations Releases Recent Study of Virtual Charter Schools

The Office of Performance Evaluations (OPE) presented its report on Virtual School Operations to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee (JLOC) on March 6.  The report was largely descriptive in nature to help legislators gain a better understanding of the virtual school programs that operate in Idaho.  There are four virtual charter school programs in the state and one that provides supplemental programs for traditional school students.  These schools have a combined enrollment of 3,600 Idaho students. 

The survey of parents and teachers found that they are very satisfied with their experiences at the virtual schools.  The final report findings did not offer any legislative “fixes” that were immediately necessary, but did suggest some areas for “further study”.  The JLOC has instructed OPE to conduct further studies focused on what defines a virtual school, oversight and accountability parameters, and a more in-depth review of virtual school funding and expenditures.  This report will be due prior to the 2008 legislative session.

The Virtual Schools Operations report can be viewed on the Office of Performance Evaluations website:  www.legislature.idaho.gov/ope/publications/reports/r0702.htm

Fewer Legislative Attempts to Harm Public Charter Schools

The 2007 legislative session marked the first time since Idaho’s Charter School Law was passed that virtually no anti-charter school legislation was introduced.  This is a drastic departure from the two previous legislative sessions in which charter school advocates fended off a total of 18 bills that would have been potentially harmful to charter school operations and growth.

This lack of legislative hostility is an indication of the political progress we are making in the legislature.  First, it is becoming clear that public charter schools are well established and here to stay in Idaho.  Second, the educational efforts in which we have all engaged with legislators over the past few years is having a positive effect.  And third, the election of a more school choice-friendly Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction has dampened the outward hostility from anti-charter groups.

It is critical that charter school administrators, board members, and parents continue to engage their local legislators through conversations, letters, e-mails, and school visits.  The more legislators understand and see the positive aspects of public charter schools, the more likely they will be to support our causes.  Please contact Ken Burgess to learn more about how to engage your legislators:  ken@veritasadvisor.com phone:  208-385-7070.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna Creates Division of Innovation and School Choice

Superintendent Tom Luna is fulfilling his promise to make the Idaho Department of Education more friendly to public school choice options.  He has created a new Division of Innovation and School Choice within the Department, and has named Wendell middle school teacher Rob Sauer as Deputy Superintendent overseeing that division.  Sauer won the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 2005, and started his new position with Luna on March 19.