PARENTS CONGRATULATE NEW PCSC E.D., HOPE FOR NEW ERA OF TRANSPARENCY AND PARENT COOPERATION

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[Boise, ID, Feb. 3, 2020] —Idaho parents today congratulated Ms. Jenn Thompson, M.Ed., on her appointment as PCSC Executive Director, and hope this can be the beginning of a new era of more transparency and cooperation with parents.

To help establish that new era, parents called for the PCSC to break ties with a national group that has recently recommended PCSC to order charter school closures in violation of state law, called for out-of-state “experts” to play key roles in what charter schools in Idaho are allowed to open, and have flouted Idaho ethics laws by offering personal cash payments to PCSC staff in the past.

Former State Board of Education President and Coalition Parent leader Karen McGee said, “Idaho leaders and Idaho parents should be making the decisions when it comes to our schools and kids.  Out-of-state groups willing to recommend closing charter schools even if it would violate our state charter law and willing to offer personal cash payments to PCSC leaders should have no place in that decision-making.”

Parents call on the new E.D. and the PCSC board to do the following:

  1. Discontinue Idaho’s membership with, and the use of, NACSA as a policy consultant because NACSA has made recommendations that were in direct violation of Idaho charter law and appears to have a disregard for Idaho ethics laws.

  2. Adopt a clear policy that PCSC staff and board will not accept anything of value, and certainly not cash payments, from any person or entity that has any interest in decisions before the PCSC.

  3. Immediately report to the A.G. and any other appropriate authority any entity that offers cash payments to any PCSC staff or board member, which is an apparent violation of Idaho ethics laws.

Tom LeClaire, President of the Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families said, “We look forward to what could potentially be a new day at the PCSC.  Taking these common-sense steps to ensure that Idaho law is respected, and that Idaho leaders, schools, and parents are making the key decisions for our children would be a very positive step in that direction.”

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