THREE IDAHO CHARTER SCHOOLS GET NATIONAL ACCLAIM

Three public charter schools in Idaho are among America's Best High Schools based a report by Business Week and GreatSchools.net.  Coeur D'Alene Charter Academy, Liberty Charter School in Nampa, and Meridian Charter High School were recognized for their performance and parent satisfaction.

This is great news for Idaho.  This report affirms what we already know - public charter schools are a critical part of the public education system in Idaho. They are making a difference in the lives of our children. Congratulations to the students and staff of each of these schools on this great honor. We've helped raise awareness about public charter schools in Idaho, which are part of the expansion of public education choices for Idaho's parents and children. This latest report is sure to give our efforts a boost.

GreatSchools.net, an award-winning nonprofit that provides parents with access to powerful information about schools in their communities and around the country, produced a state-by-state ranking of U.S. high schools for Business Week. The conclusions are based on performance and parent opinion, according to Greatschools.net. Schools were selected in five categories: top Academic Performance (overall); top academic performance (among low-income schools); most improved - academic performance; parents' choice - Public School; parents' choice - private school.

Coeur D'Alene Charter Academy was selected for best overall academic performance; Liberty Charter School in Nampa was selected for best improved; and Meridian Charter High School was named a GreatSchool's Parent's Choice in the public school category.

Read the Business Week story online at by clicking here .    More information also is available from GreatSchools here .  

WHAT’S AHEAD

We're working on our plans to help make sure you have a voice in the upcoming legislative debates in the state capital. This is shaping up to be one of the more difficult budget seasons ever, which will make it even more important for us to have our voices heard in the halls of state government.

 While we'll have more to announce soon, here's what you can do:

-- Take a few minutes to get to know your state legislators. Be sure to tell them how much you appreciate their efforts to provide you with a choice of public schools - whether it's a brick and mortar charter or a virtual charter.

-- Ask them to stand with you to keep these public school options available

-- Offer to be a resource to them should they have any questions about charter schools in Idaho.
 
We hope you will stand ready to join us should we need your help to defend the schools that mean so much to our children and our families.