Five new Charter Schools have been approved by the Montana Board of Public Education recently.
These new schools are set to offer increased educational options for families in the state.
The approved schools include
Big Horn Academy in Hardin, aimed at students at risk of not graduating, focusing on alternative education.
Butte Pathway Academy in Butte, emphasizing trades-based education and career exploration.
Libby Central Charter School in Libby, another alternative school for students who are struggling academically.
Ronan Charter Academy in Ronan, which focuses on work-based learning and career pathways.
Central Montana Career and Technical Education Academy in Lewistown, intended to be a regional hub for career and technical education.
These schools will have autonomy over decisions regarding finance, personnel, curriculum, and instruction, which is part of the definition of a public charter school under Montana law.
This autonomy aims to create unique learning environments tailored to specific community needs.
The approval process included considerations of academic, organizational, and financial performance, community need, and the capacity of the governing boards to implement their plans effectively.
Enrollment in these schools is open to all students, with admissions determined by lottery if applications exceed capacity.
The state legislature underestimated the popularity of charter schools, initially projecting only five new charters but receiving 26 applications in the first wave of the process.
Some charter schools, like the proposed Yellowstone Experience School (YES), face significant financial hurdles, including the need for substantial start-up funding.
YES is looking at a $5 million start-up fundraising goal to support their budget.
There are also concerns about the ability of new charter schools to levy local tax dollars necessary to access state education funding.
Upon having been approved, our new charter schools must navigate staffing and operational issues.
There are some concerns about meeting staffing needs in light of high costs of living and an ongoing statewide teacher shortage.
Some proposed charters face challenges in complying with state laws regarding school board composition and member qualifications.
Our new charter schools must also work to understand and comply with various financial, staffing, and state accreditation requirements.
For all of the applications that have been submitted to the Montana Board of Public Education, we now have five being approved, so we’ll see how it all works out.
