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Leadership for a Growing Movement: Nanette Merrill and the Rise of Idaho’s Public Charter Schools
By Alan Gottlieb
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.
Now, after a national search that attracted 26 candidates, Merrill has been selected as the founding executive director of the Idaho Charter School Association (ICSA), a role that will position her at the forefront of educational choice in a state where charter schools have added nearly 20,000 new seats over the past decade.
Merrill’s journey to educational leadership began in Oregon, where she spent nine years as a teacher before earning recognition as the 2013 Oregon Teacher of the Year. That honor opened doors she hadn’t anticipated, including a meeting with President Obama and opportunities to work with the governor and state legislature on education policy.
“I was feeling after that [teaching] experience very confined by the four walls of my classroom,” Merrill said. “I wanted to do more for the profession.”
That desire led her into administration, where she served as a building principal in Baker City, Oregon, before making the move to Idaho, where Merrill became a building leader and instructional coach at Gem Innovation Schools, a homegrown charter network.
It was her first real exposure to charter schools, a discovery that would fundamentally alter her perspective on public education.
“Prior to coming to Idaho, I actually knew very little about charter schools,” she said. But at Gem Prep, Merrill found something different. “It didn’t take long for me to figure out that charter schools are the future of education for kids,” she said.
At Gem Prep, Merrill played a key role in expanding the bourgeoning network. She opened Gem Prep’s first Meridian campus, and when wait lists swelled, she was tapped to launch a second campus, Meridian North.
“It was just very exciting to not only be part of a high-achieving, growing charter network, but also to have the role of opening two buildings,” Merrill said. “I wasn’t following anybody’s legacy. I just kind of created my own.”
Jason Bransford, CEO of Gem Innovation Schools, witnessed Merrill’s impact firsthand. “There’s no better leader in the Gem network than Nanette,” he said. “When she opens her mouth to speak, everybody in the room sits up and listens.”
What makes Merrill such an effective leader? According to Bransford, it’s a rare combination of humility and confidence. “She is humble enough to recognize when she walks into any room that she can learn from any person in that room,” he said. “She’s a great listener.”
That balance has served her well. The Charter School Growth Fund was so impressed after visiting her schools that search consultants specifically noted their enthusiasm. It’s the kind of on-the-ground credibility that could prove invaluable as Merrill transitions from running schools to advocating for them.
The Idaho Charter School Association that Merrill will lead represents a significant evolution in the state’s charter movement as a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides advocacy and support to its member schools and networks. For years its precursor, the Idaho Charter School Network, existed largely as an extension of Bluum, the Idaho-based education nonprofit that develops high-quality public charter schools. ICSN is a 501(c)(4), which means it can lobby and engage in electoral politics.
The new ICSA is an independent entity with its own identity, mission, and board.
“This is really a move to separate the two entities and to give more voice to the larger charter school sector,” said Terry Ryan, ICSA board chair and CEO of Bluum, who spearheaded the effort to create the association.
The timing is critical. Idaho’s recently elected legislature, described as the most conservative in state history, has passed tax credit legislation that could reshape the educational landscape. This, combined with the state’s growing charter sector, make a strong, independent charter association more important than ever.
“The ecosystem for charter schools in the state right now is strong,” Merrill said. “I know that we’re doing great things for the children of Idaho, and I just want to be a part of that.”
Finding the right person to lead this newly independent association was no simple task. The K-12 Search Group, a boutique executive search firm specializing in charter schools and charter association leadership, was brought in to manage the process. According to Mollie Mitchell, the firm’s founder, state charter association leadership positions present unique challenges.
“These searches are pretty hyper-local,” Mitchell said. The firm identified four typical candidate profiles: internal promotions, leaders from other state associations, policy advocates within the state, and successful charter school operators. Merrill fit squarely in the fourth category.
Of the 26 applicants, about 90 percent were from Idaho, reflecting the homegrown nature of the state’s charter movement. Seven advanced to video interviews, and three made it to final rounds with the search committee.
What set Merrill apart? “Her authenticity as a leader was really clear and palpable,” said Melissa Simon, Mitchell’s partner at K-12 Search Group. “Having a high-performing charter leader in this role is really powerful given that it is a homegrown charter movement in Idaho.”
Merrill’s willingness to acknowledge what she didn’t know also impressed the committee. While she brings deep operational experience from running schools, she freely admitted that navigating the political and policy landscape would require a new kind of learning.
“The whole position is kind of building the plane while we’re flying it,” Merrill said. “We really are starting fresh.”
The learning curve Merrill faces is steep. Unlike her current role focused on the day-to-day operations of a school building, the association position will require her to master legislative advocacy, coalition building, and statewide strategic thinking.
“Advocacy is always important for equitable funding and resources for charter public versus traditional public,” Merrill said. But she said she would be careful not to prescribe solutions before understanding the full landscape.
One of her first tasks will be visiting charter schools across Idaho. “I know that there are great things happening in other charter schools, I just don’t know what those are,” she said. These visits will help her understand the common challenges facing charter leaders and how the association can best support them.
For Merrill, this transition represents both continuity and change. The mother who once calculated that schools had more time with her children than she did hasn’t lost sight of what matters most.
“I care deeply about education for students in the state of Idaho,” she said. “They all deserve that high quality education that fits their unique needs.”
The move from principal to association leader mirrors her earlier transition from classroom teacher to administrator, when she felt confined by the four walls of her classroom and wanted to have an impact on a larger scale. Now, she’s ready to move from what she calls “the dance floor” to “a balcony view” of Idaho’s charter school movement.
“It’s terrifying and exciting all at the same time,” Merrill said of her new role.
Bransford has no doubts about her readiness. “Give her a couple of years, and you’re going to see a powerhouse,” he said. “No matter how hot the temperature is, she’s poised. No matter how big the challenge is, she’s ready to face it.”
Merrill assumed her new position on July 1, though she worked several days a month through the spring on association business, diving into rebranding efforts and immersing herself in policy briefs.
For Merrill, the thread connecting every chapter of her journey remains the same. “I believe all children deserve a high-quality education that fits their unique needs,” she said. “That’s what charters are providing.”
In a state where charter schools have become a significant part of the educational landscape, Merrill’s combination of classroom credibility, operational experience, and collaborative leadership style positions her well to guide the movement through whatever challenges lie ahead.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this at a different level,” Merrill said.
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Alan Gottlieb is a Colorado-based writer, editor, journalist, communications consultant, and nonprofit entrepreneur who owns Write.Edit.Think, LLC. He founded EdNews Colorado, which later merged with Gotham Schools to form Chalkbeat. He does consulting work for Bluum, an Idaho-based non-profit education group.
