We empower, invest in, and support educational leaders who take risks and put children first.
LET LEARNING GROW.
EMPOWER
We empower educational leaders in the Gem State by providing one- or two-year fellowships to those who take risks and put children first.
INVEST
In partnership with the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, Bluum serves as a funding intermediary and local champion for supporting entrepreneurial education ventures.
SUPPORT & IMPROVE
Bluum provides partner schools with additional services and technical assistance. Our team can help elevate the business of running a school by reviewing financial infrastructure and identifying areas of strength and areas for improvement.
DISCOVER & INFORM
Bluum has become a go-to resource on education research and innovation. We aim to share the work of Idaho’s high performing schools and outstanding educators. Our hope is that it can become a national model for helping all children reach their fullest potential.
$19,432,387
FEDERAL CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM INVESTMENT
14,989
TOTAL NEW SCHOOL SEATS CREATED
31
TOTAL IDAHO SCHOOLS SUPPORTED
$62,744,211
TOTAL PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT
Stories
Darren Svan, Idaho Ed News
This story originally appeared on Idaho Ed News
As Bluum awards the last federal grant funds that five years ago kicked off the rapid expansion of charter schools, the organization predicts 2,800 more seats and eight more schools than originally promised. While those results can’t be celebrated until the last six schools are built and the other 22 completed schools finish growing, Bluum expects to fly by their expansion expectations, made to the U.S. Department of Education in 2018. And with a new Department of Education grant application process currently underway, and millions of dollars more of federal grant money up for grabs, Bluum is back to work looking for opportunities, new innovations and partnerships. The organization has not applied yet, but expects to make that decision this spring.
Results from the focus groups and survey of Idaho parents who received funding from Idaho’s Empowering Parents grant program. These findings are based on an online survey conducted January 17-26, 2023, with 359 parents who applied for an Empowering Parents grant. The survey work was conducted by the New York City-based FDR Group and funded by the Walton Family Foundation. Bluum was proud to coordinate the efforts on the ground in Idaho. Our hope is that this work helps strengthen support for the Empowering Parents Program while also providing ideas for improvements.
Four Idaho public charter schools have been awarded $1,913,068 in federal funding from Idaho’s Communities of Excellence Federal Charter Schools Program (CSP). This is the seventh and final round of grant awards under the terms of this competitive CSP grant. The grant awards are aimed at increasing the number of high-quality public charter school seats for Idaho families and students.
These grants will allow the four subgrantee schools to add a total of 1,702 new students. Funding comes from a $22 million U.S. Department of Education grant awarded to Bluum in 2018.
2021 Annual Report
We have the privilege of serving some of Idaho’s finest school leaders in helping them educate and support their thousands of families and students. In 2021, the real heroes in our orbit were our 30 plus partner schools and their teams.
Read The Report
Lessons and challenges from Idaho, Colorado and New Mexico
Measuring How Well Idaho is Meeting Public Charter School Facility Needs
Exploring Growth Opportunities for Idaho Charter Schools
Largest study of its kind in Idaho looks at impact of all-day-kindergarten on early years literacy
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