Special Report
School Choice & Charters

Bill Would Lift Limits on Idaho Charter Schools

By The Associated Press — February 16, 2010 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

An Idaho lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow more charter schools to open to aid underserved students.

The bill unveiled Monday by state Sen. John Goedde aims to revise a state law that now limits the number of new charter schools to six a year.

His bill would provide exemptions for charter schools serving low-income, minority, at-risk and immigrant student populations along with kids who have disabilities or are gifted and talented.

The Coeur d’Alene Republican, however, plans to delay the bill until the federal government offers more assurance that Idaho’s current charter school laws won’t hurt its chances at $75 million to $120 million in competitive federal grants.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has told lawmakers the state cap on charter schools initially appeared to threaten Idaho’s chances in the U.S. Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” contest but now seems to pass muster under final guidelines released late last year.

The U.S. Department of Education previously cautioned states that did not allow charter schools — or placed caps on their growth — that they were jeopardizing their chances at a slice of the $4.35 billion in education stimulus money.

Goedde said he wants further clarification from the federal government about charter schools. About half of Idaho’s 115 school districts and 21 charter schools signed onto Idaho’s application for Race to the Top, which was sent off last month and proposes spending a large portion of the money on a pilot program to pay teachers based on performance.

There is also funding for a system to better track student achievement and boost opportunities for high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit.

Forty states applied and less than half were expected to win a slice of the $4.3 billion in stimulus money. The award announcements are expected in April.

Several states have rewritten education laws and worked with unions to boost their chances at Race to the Top awards.

Goedde said he proposed the charter school legislation to give lawmakers enough time, if necessary, to change the law before the session ends.

“If, when they critic the Race to the Top grant, our current charter school cap is subject to a loss of points, my guess is that the governor’s not going to call a special session for us to change that,” Goedde said.

He said he would consider holding the bill in committee until the end of the session nears then moving on it if there is nothing more definitive from the federal government.

Related Tags:

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Rethinking STEM Assessment: Strategies for Administrators
School and district leaders will explore strategies to enhance STEM assessment practices across their district, within schools and classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Federal Webinar Keeping Up with the Trump Administration's Latest K-12 Moves: Subscriber-Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Choice & Charters How School Choice Complicates District Bond Elections
Families who transfer children out of their residential districts may be less likely to vote in bond elections, researchers find.
3 min read
Photograph of a person in jeans walking on a sidewalk and passing a yellow and black voting place sign in the grass.
E+
School Choice & Charters What to Know About the Private School Choice Program Moving Through Congress
A new federal program would offer up to $5 billion in tax credits a year to fuel private school attendance nationwide.
10 min read
Penelope Koutoulas holds signs supporting school choice in a House committee meeting on education during a special session of the state legislature Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn.
Penelope Koutoulas holds signs supporting school choice in a House committee meeting on education during a special session of the state legislature Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. While a number of states, including Tennessee, have passed new programs funding private school tuition in recent years, the first major federal foray into private school choice is now making its way through Congress.
George Walker IV/AP
School Choice & Charters Then & Now The Trump Admin. Is Reviving This School Choice Option You've Never Heard Of
A little-known provision allows students to transfer out of schools deemed "persistently dangerous." Choice advocates say it's been underused.
8 min read
Image of two school buildings with cones, cameras.
Collage by Liz Yap for Education Week via Canva
School Choice & Charters Another Judge Rules Against Private School Choice. Here's Why
Utah's education savings accounts violate the state constitution by giving public funds to schools that exclude students, a judge ruled.
6 min read
Judge gavel on law books with statue of justice and court government background. concept of law, justice, legal.
iStock/Getty Images Plus