3 new charter schools approved

The Utah State School Board last month approved three new public charter schools — a record annual low for the reform movement.

Two of the schools, Utah Connections Academy and Aspire Online Charter School, are online schools. They will both open in the fall of 2011. Good Foundations Academy, which will be located in Riverdale, will start offering classes in the fall. A fourth charter school, Baer Canyon High School for Sports and Medical Sciences, is still under scrutiny.

Since the first charter school opened in 1999, the state has approved between six and 15 new schools a year.

"This time around, our demands were higher than they've ever been, and these are the schools that lived up to expectations," said Brian Allen, chair of the State Charter School Board, which recommended the schools for approval. "As a group, the schools are all very innovative. Each one fills a niche that is not being filled."

Charter schools are tax funded and use a lottery system to select students from a pool of applicants.

Together, Utah Connections Academy, Aspire Online Charter School and Good Foundations Academy will serve more than 1,200 students. If approved, Baer Canyon High School for Sports and Medical Sciences hopes to enroll 720.

Utah Connections Academy

Utah Connections Academy will bring a popular East Coast, Internet home-school program to students statewide. The program offers individualized curriculum fully aligned with the Utah State Core. Teachers will be available to answer questions during school hours.

"I think a lot of moms want to be involved in their children's education, but they don't know what to do," said Joanne Bonnett, chief school officer for Utah Foundations Academy. "This school gives them direction while allowing them to be independent."

For more information, visit connectionsacademy.com.

Good Foundations Academy

Good Foundations Academy hopes to instill in children not just knowledge, but also a sense of character, said founder Tom Koehler, a Clearfield pastor. Teachers will weave seven "foundation stones" — respect, cooperation, citizenship, integrity, perseverance, self control and responsibility — throughout the daily curriculum.

"All the intelligence in the world isn't going to do our kids any good if we don't teach them character," Koehler said.