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Bluum is a nonprofit organization helping Idaho become a national model for how to maximize learning outcomes for children and families.

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Leadership for a Growing Movement: Nanette Merrill and the Rise of Idaho’s Public Charter Schools

Nanette Merrill’s path to leading Idaho’s public charter school movement might seem unlikely, but it represents a natural evolution driven by one consistent motivation: ensuring children receive the education they deserve. After 17 years at home raising her children, Merrill made a calculation that would reshape her life. “I learned pretty quickly that schools had more waking hours with my children than I did,” she said during a recent interview. That realization sent her back to the classroom in her native Oregon, this time as a teacher determined to create the kind of environment where children felt safe, loved, and engaged in learning.

Gem Prep’s CAO Selected for the Google GSV Education Innovation Fellowship

Dr. Laurie Wolfe, Chief Academic Officer at Gem Prep, has been selected for the 2025-2026 cohort of the Google GSV Education Innovation Fellowship, a groundbreaking program formed through a partnership between GSV and Google for Education. Now entering its third year, the Google GSV Education Innovation Fellowship unites K-12 superintendents and top-level instructional leaders dedicated to working at the intersection of technology and instruction to shape the future of education. By fostering collaboration among these visionary change agents, the Fellowship creates a powerful network that drives advancements in the EdTech landscape, instructional innovation, and student outcomes.

In Honor of Steve Farkas – The Epitome of a Mensch

In early 2023, Margaret Raymond and James Lynn Woodworth, from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), presented findings on the academic performance of Idaho’s public charter schools. They had been studying charter schools in 29 other states, and said CREDO is known nationally as the “charter school analysis people.” In their 2023 presentation to the Idaho State Board of Education they reported, “Idaho’s special education results are among the best that we’ve seen nationally.” Raymond went on to say, “We normally see a much larger offset of learning in the special education community.” She concluded, “There is an overall best practices emerging from the picture that we see over time in Idaho that we think actually could be important for other charter school communities around the country to look at, particularly in poverty and special education.”

Rising Above: Farm Life Fuels Success for Gem Prep Student

Gem Prep Meridian South, Idaho, April 21, 2025 – At dawn, Mickayla Dayan can be found in rubber boots, tending to goats on her family’s dairy farm—milking, feeding, and making artisanal soap and cheese. By mid-morning, she’s deep into college-level coursework, tackling subjects like Human Biology, Sociology, and English 101. And by afternoon, she’s leading student council meetings and planning National Honor Society initiatives.  As a 10th grade student at Gem Prep: Meridian South, Mickayla embodies Gem Prep’s values as she seamlessly blends farm life, academic rigor, and leadership responsibilities.

Five Years of MOSAICS Public School

As MOSAICS Public School marks its 5th anniversary, we reflect on the school’s journey and the formation of key partnerships along the way. We dive into the deliberate efforts of the team to establish an intentional culture that withstood the challenges posed by opening during a national pandemic. Additionally, we explore the vision for the future.

We take immense pride in Anthony Haskett and his team, celebrating all that they have accomplished throughout the years.

Idaho’s Public Charter Schools Work Hard to Serve our Students with Special Needs

In early 2023, Margaret Raymond and James Lynn Woodworth, from Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), presented findings on the academic performance of Idaho’s public charter schools. They had been studying charter schools in 29 other states, and said CREDO is known nationally as the “charter school analysis people.” In their 2023 presentation to the Idaho State Board of Education they reported, “Idaho’s special education results are among the best that we’ve seen nationally.” Raymond went on to say, “We normally see a much larger offset of learning in the special education community.” She concluded, “There is an overall best practices emerging from the picture that we see over time in Idaho that we think actually could be important for other charter school communities around the country to look at, particularly in poverty and special education.”

Testimony to the Idaho Senate Education Committee

I speak to you today as a sort of metaphorical Ghost of Christmas Past. In 2017, I penned a Guest Column for the Post Register entitled “Idaho needs new school funding formula.” I wrote then, “Idaho’s current K-12 public school funding formula is archaic. It was adopted in 1994, and needs an upgrade to better serve the needs of our students today and into the future. Fortunately, Idaho’s lawmakers understand the challenge and seem poised to make necessary improvements. Their efforts to modernize school funding should be supported and encouraged by parents, taxpayers and everyone interested in the future of Idaho and its children.”