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$6.8 Million in New Federal Public Charter School Grants Awarded
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sarah Meskin
Email: smeskin@bluum.org
$6.8 MILLION IN NEW FEDERAL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL GRANTS AWARDED TO FOUR
SUBGRANTEES TO CREATE 1,895 NEW SCHOOL SEATS
Boise – (February 3, 2025) Idaho’s $25 million Building on Success for Future Excellence program led by the Idaho education non-profit Bluum announced the awards of $6,800,000 in competitive grant funding from the Federal Charter School (CSP) Program.
Note, these grants can only be issued if the US Department of Education (USDOE) actually release these funds to Bluum. Bluum has no control over the policies or budgetary decisions of the USDOE.
A panel of third-party reviewers evaluated applications and awarded competitive grants for four new schools across the Gem State:
- $2,000,000 for Alturas Academy North in Rigby to create up to 648 seats.
- $2,000,000 for Elevate Academy in Twin Falls area to create up to 488 seats.
- $2,000,000 for Valor Classical Academy in Kuna to create up to 654 seats.
- $800,000 for Hollister Charter School in Hollister to create up to 105 seats.
These schools are free, public, and open to all students. Idaho’s Building on Success for Future Excellence CSP grant is a competitive public charter school grant program funded under the Congressional Every Students Succeeds Act, which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 (ESEA). Idaho public charter schools do not receive local property tax dollars and operate solely on state and federal education funds
The grant awards are aimed at increasing the number of high-quality public charter school options for families. Idaho’s charter schools have consistently delivered strong academic outcomes for students.
Idaho’s public charter schools serve all children across our state – urban, suburban, rural and remote.
Alturas Academy North, in Rigby, is a K-8 start-up school that plans to open in 2026 as the third school in the Idaho Falls-based Alturas network of partner schools. The Idaho Public Charter School Commission serves as the school’s authorizer.
Elevate Academy Twin Falls plans to open in 2026 as a 6-12 start-up school. It will be the 5th school in the Elevate Academy network of Career Tech academies that serve 100% at-risk students in communities across Idaho. Elevate Academy Twin Falls is authorized by the Twin Falls School District.
Valor Classical Academy, in Kuna, is a start-up K-12 school that plans to open in 2026 as the third school in the American Classical Schools of Idaho (ACS-I) network. The school is authorized by the Idaho Public Charter School Commission.
Hollister Charter School is a start-up public charter school that plans to open in 2025 and will serves grades K-6. The school is authorized by the Filer School District.
“These schools earned this grant support through a rigorous and competitive third-party review process. We look forward to supporting these schools as they open and grow to serve Idaho students and families. It is particularly exciting that two of these schools are authorized by their local public school districts,” said Bluum CEO Terry Ryan.
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About Idaho Public Charter Schools
A public charter school is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution. Public charter schools are open to all students who apply and cannot charge tuition. A charter school receiving CSP funds must use a lottery if more students apply for admission to the charter school than can be admitted.
Idaho’s public charter schools perform well on Idaho state assessments compared to state averages. This is true for all students, economically disadvantaged students and minority students.
About Bluum
Bluum is a Boise-based education nonprofit organization committed to ensuring Idaho’s children reach their fullest potential by cultivating great leaders and innovative schools. For more information visit www.bluum.org.
About the Federal CSP Grant
Idaho received $24,870,000 million in funding over five years. At least 90 percent of these dollars will flow to public charter school subgrantees for school start-up, school replication and school expansion. At least seven percent must be utilized for state-level technical assistance activities and program evaluation/research. No more than three percent for Bluum administration. Bluum was one of only ten state entities across the country to receive competitive federal CSP grant funding in 2023. For more information, visit www.csp.bluuum.org