HER VIEW: Charter schools provide quality education

By Briana LeClaire,
July 11, 2008

Isn't it surprising when the Daily News reports the obvious? Readers were recently informed the Moscow School District will receive less money if it loses students to the new Palouse Prairie Charter School (July 4). Since public school funding has always followed the child, Idaho's public charter school law, created in 1998, has meant some public school funding has been following children into public charter schools for 10 years. In other words, this latest story gives a sour taste, but it is not news.

As the president of the Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families, I congratulate Moscow families on expanding their public school choices. The coalition is the voice of thousands of students, parents and teachers who together work to make Idaho's public charter schools a success story. While the choices offered by Idaho public charter schools may not be for every student, these options meet a critical need for many Idaho families. Offering high-quality curriculum, flexible, individual instruction, and the oversight of certified Idaho teachers, charter schools are helping many students to thrive outside of traditional public schools.

From teachers' union leaders to homeschoolers, everyone agrees educational choice is desirable. Many Idaho school districts have embraced choice and present parents with different options. Idaho's largest school district, Meridian, offers a performing arts elementary school, technical-professional schools, year-round schedules, and will offer an International Baccalaureate high school starting this fall. Ten years ago, the Boise School District was losing students and it responded with school choices including a math and science junior high school, dual language schools, a Harbor Method elementary, a Montessori school and more. Choices in the form of charter schools are in dozens of Idaho communities including Kuna, Twin Falls, Sandpoint, Mountain Home, Nampa and Pocatello.

Until now, Moscow's major public school innovation has been the Moscow Charter School, which was chartered by and is funded through the Moscow School District. It is popular, boasting an enrollment of 146 students, 20 children on the kindergarten waiting list, and 41 waiting altogether. The Palouse Prairie Charter School further increases choice in Moscow. Opening in fall 2009 with 75 students and aiming for 200, it will be an Expeditionary Learning school. Expeditionary Learning is a proven educational model that has had success both nationwide and regionally at the 10-year-old ANSER Charter School in Boise, Pocatello Community Charter School and Summit School in Spokane Valley. The idea of an Expeditionary Learning school in north Idaho is very exciting news for those of us in the charter school movement.

The chartering process is demanding, with an outcome that is far from certain. As was reported in the Daily News, after several attempts Palouse Prairie's charter was finally approved in June. Because of a perceived competition for resources, the chartering process can lead to animosity. Divisiveness might sell papers, but what will benefit all the publicly schooled children in Moscow, traditional and charter alike, is a spirit of collaboration where each school excels to meet its students' needs. Because one-size-fits-all never fits anyone correctly, it's time to stop expecting one type of school - or even one type of public charter school - to fit all public school students.

Parents should have the right be as involved in their children's education as they want to be. The families of Palouse Prairie public charter school have labored for years to bring forth an innovative, effective and inspiring school that will enhance the entire region. I encourage you to learn more about both of Moscow's public charter schools and the choices they offer. Who knows? One of them may even be the best fit for your family.

Briana LeClaire, a former Moscow resident, is the president of the Coalition of Idaho Charter School Families. Her children are enrolled in the Idaho Virtual Academy, a virtual public charter school. She lives in Meridian.