One down, two to go.

This week the Davis School District approved The Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering and Science, (NUAMES) charter school application. The school will now seek approval from Ogden and Weber districts before getting the ball rolling toward enrollment.

NUAMES, developed in partnership with the three districts, is one of six high-tech New Century High Schools, part of former Gov. Leavitt's initiative to produce students more readily prepared to enter the workforce and broaden Utah's pool of professionals.

The school seeks the approval of multiple districts because NUAMES sites will be located in all three districts.

Chris Williams, spokesman for Davis, said his district is more than happy to approve charters if it provides services to students that the district is unable to offer.

The school will provide alternative and accelerated learning to motivated high school students with a specialized curriculum in technical education. The school is an early college program where students can earn an associate's degree by the time they graduate from high school.

It is not a typical charter school, as it consists of four different satellite locations where students will be bused to for part of the day. They will return to their regular schools for electives and other classes.

The NUAMES school will hold open enrollment immediately after the districts' approval. It will particularly target underprivileged and underrepresented groups — minorities and women — in the math, science and engineering fields.

About 500 students grades 9-12 will be accepted, with priority given to those who live within the three districts. Starting next week NUAMES representatives will begin traveling to 39 different schools in the districts talking to students about the school and sending information to parents.

NUAMES is set to open in fall 2004.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com