Charter schools are catching on

LINDON — Dissatisfied with academics in public school and lack of sociality in home school, Eric and Michelle Smith started their own school.

Two of the couple's children are among 350 kindergarten through sixth-grade students at Timpanogos Academy. The school's inaugural year ends June 4.

"You learn more and you're a bit more challenged, I think," said the Smith's thoughtful 10-year-old son Ethan. "For one thing, the math we do is one grade ahead than we usually do."

Timpanogos Academy is one of two "charter" schools in Utah County. Two others are planning to open this fall, provided the Utah Board of Education approves their applications. There are 16 charter schools statewide with seven more, including what are called high-tech high schools, on the drawing board.

"The charter school movement is growing," Gov. Mike Leavitt told parents and students Friday at Timpanogos. Both Utah Valley schools have long waiting lists.

Charter schools are a sort of hybrid between public and private schools. They are sanctioned through a district or the state but have their own school boards. They cannot charge tuition and must be open to all students, though enrollment may be limited to the building's capacity. A lottery determines who gets in after preference is given to founders' children and siblings of current students.

And they are not just for brainiacs, though reading, writing and arithmetic are rigorous.

"What we will not do is dumb down our curriculum to the lowest ability," Michelle Smith said.

Charter schools often have special focuses. John Hancock Charter School in Pleasant Grove requires all students from third grade up to take violin, viola or cello classes.

Parents also play a large role in a child's education. John Hancock, for example, has a parent teach a class on computer programming.

"Traditional schools usually don't have the opportunity to tap into the talents of their parents," said Julie Adamic, school founder/director.

The Smiths had no idea what they were getting into when they and other parents decided to form a school.

It's not daunting, she said, "if you're clinically insane."

Obtaining money for land and constructing or finding a suitable building are the biggest obstacles.