It was recently announced that Idaho received a $1.9 million federal grant through the Charter Schools Program. The purpose of the Charter Schools Program is to increase national understanding of the charter school model and to expand the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the nation. The monies are meant to provide financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools, and for evaluating the effects of charter schools, including the effects on students, student academic achievement, staff, and parents. Additionally the program aids in the dissemination of information and successful practices. The following are excerpts from a recent Idaho Statesman article announcing a grant received from the U.S. Department of Education to start new charter schools in Idaho.
"Idaho received a $1.9 million federal grant to help boost the number of charter schools in the state and test the progress of their students.
"The money is tied to the No Child Left Behind Act, federal legislation requiring U.S. schools to demonstrate their students are meeting standards.
"Parents have promoted publicly funded charter schools since they were first allowed by the Idaho Legislature in 1997. There will be 24 such schools in Idaho this fall.
"Charter school advocates can petition for their own nonprofit institution, which are publicly financed under a contract with a public school district."
"The two dozen schools will enroll some 7,000 students, or 2.3 percent of Idaho's kindergarten through 12th graders, according to the Idaho Charter School Network."
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