01/25/10

A group of more than 500 people is urging the Idaho legislature, to lift its cap allowing only six new charter schools a year. Right now there are three dozen charter schools in the Gem State; serving more than twelve thousand students and the waiting lists are long.

Xavier Charter School in Twin Falls opened its doors three years ago this fall. Their funding is done the same way as a traditional public school; but the school's charter allows it to dictate its curriculum, while still meeting state educational standards and testing requirements.

Principal Cindy Fulcher says Xavier focuses on a classical education for its students, but while the school emphasizes fine arts, she says it's not a fine arts school.

Instead, the academic standards tend to be more rigorous as students progress in order to prepare them for college.

According to Fulcher, “All charter schools are basically like this, your lower grades definitely have larger waiting lists than the upper grades do. We have openings in our junior high, high school grades, not so much in the elementary school.

Right now the school has a total of 550 students in two locations on North College Road. The junior and senior high grades are here in town, while K through 6, are at the far west end of North College.

Behind the chain link fence, a new school building is going up, which will open for school this fall. Phase two of the construction will include an auditorium and the new building will hold up to 850 students in all grades.