Melissa Davlin reports Idaho students may have more charter schools to choose from in coming years.
On Wednesday, the House Education Committee voted to print and move to the full House legislation that would lift Idaho’s cap on the number of new charter schools that can form each year. Currently, only six charter schools can open in Idaho every year, with a limit of one within the boundaries of each existing school district.
Fifty charter schools have opened since the cap’s 1998 inception – an average of 3.6 per year. Only in 2004 were more than six new charters pitched. But proponents of lifting the cap say doing so will make Idaho more competitive to receive charter-specific funding.
Rep. Clifford Bayer, R-Boise, introduced the legislation, saying that the arbitrary cap hurts charter schools’ ability to apply for grants that would replace federal funds that are no longer available. Because of the cap, some organizations are hesitant to award money to Idaho, said Diane Demarest, executive director of Idaho Charter School Network.
Parents and charter school proponents testified in favor of the legislation, saying anything to help charter schools would benefit students and give them more choice.
