Palouse Prairie denied charter

Be sure to read the last 2 paragraphs of this article -- the glass is more than half full!

By Hadley Rush, Daily News staff writer
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 - Page Updated at 12:00:00 AM

Palouse Prairie Charter School officials still hope to open their doors in fall 2009 despite having their charter application denied last week in Boise.

The Idaho Public Charter School Commission turned down the proposed Moscow charter school's application Thursday. It was the second time Palouse Prairie officials had applied for a charter from the commission.

Commission Chairman Bill Goesling of Moscow said the proposed school will receive official notification by the end of the week, declining its application.

He said there were two major areas of concern - the school's budget and the lack of a suitable facility.

"When they made the first application, we (also) mentioned those concerns," Goesling said.

Idaho Charter Schools Program Manager Tamara Baysinger said the commission was pleased with Palouse Prairie's educational program, but there wasn't sufficient evidence that the school would succeed financially.

"The commission acknowledged that the petitioners did a lot of work," Baysinger said. "Unfortunately, there still wasn't an adequate facility."

Baysinger said although it's possible the school still could open in 2009, that is unlikely.

The petitioners would either have to go through the appeals process or start over with a new charter petition, which could take eight months to a year, she said.

Nils Peterson, chairman of the Palouse Prairie board of directors, had previously identified two possible sites for the school, including a spot near The Silos development in east Moscow and the first floor of the 1912 Center in Moscow.

Silos officials had offered to build a facility for the school, Peterson said.

Peterson said a charter school commissioner had recommended Palouse Prairie "find an angel to help with the facility issue."

"We thought we had found an angel in the offer from The Silos to build us a facility, but commissioners expressed concerns that the facility was small and would ... be outgrown," he said.

Peterson said the use committee for Heart of the Arts, Inc., which manages the 1912 Center, has "provided Palouse Prairie a draft of its application questions for tenants."

"I'm really pleased," he said. "This gets us closer to having the conversation with HAI about leasing space."

Heart of the Arts Executive Director Jenny Sheneman has said it's probably not feasible to have a charter school in the 1912 Center due to space constraints.

Sheneman also has said there would be problems with parking spaces, as well as occupancy regulations.

"It's a community center and we don't necessarily want to occupy it with a school," Sheneman said.

Sheneman said Palouse Prairie's projected opening date also would take the 1912 Center out of the running. The first floor of the center likely won't be ready for occupancy until 2010.

"The timetable is just ridiculous," she said.

Peterson wrote in a Monday e-mail to the Daily News that despite "uncertainties at present," he still thinks the 1912 Center is an appealing option.

"We will work with (the center) to see if those (uncertainties) can be nailed down," he wrote.

Peterson wrote that the board also will continue to look for more location options.

"We are continuing to work with a Realtor looking for other solutions," he wrote. "It looks like a buyers' market right now. I welcome anyone with a creative idea."

Peterson indicated that the State Department of Education awarded a $20,000 Vision grant to Palouse Prairie officials. The money will be used for staff support, board training, curriculum design and planning for the Palouse Prairie summer expedition.

Peterson said the summer expedition program is scheduled for the last two weeks in July.

Hadley Rush can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by e-mail at hrush@dnews.com.