School choice gaining ground

This past week, public school choice was enriched when the State Board of Education approved three new charter schools.

The Academy for Math, Engineering and Science in Salt Lake City, and Freedom Academy and Discovery Junior High, both in Provo, were granted charters by the State School Board, which is good news for students and parents who seek innovative teaching in certain niche areas. These schools are tuition-free public schools, which is an added bonus.

On the whole, it is heartening that Utah's charter school movement, which has plodded along compared with similar efforts in other states, has gained momentum. This past year, the Utah Legislature amended state law to permit up to 24 state-approved charter schools, which should result in more student/parent choice in the coming years.

The Academy for Math, Engineering and Science is of particular interest. Slated to open this fall on the campus of Cottonwood High School, the academy has a substantial waiting list. The academy, part of Gov. Mike Leavitt's New Century High School Initiative, offers small class size (no more than 25 students per class) and visiting professors from the University of Utah. The academy is a partnership among the U. and the Salt Lake and Granite school districts.

The academy will stress academic rigor, including internships for juniors and research projects and portfolios for seniors. Known by the acronym AMES, it is also part of a state initiative that allows students to graduate from high school with an associate's degree, which Leavitt and others believe will double the number of math, computer science and engineering students in Utah's universities.

The focused approach of charter schools is a refreshing change of pace from traditional schools that struggle to be all things for all learners.

It is our hope that the proven track record of charter schools will encourage an expansion of public school choice. The beauty of charter schools is that they are public institutions, so there can be no bickering about public funds being used to support private education. But charter schools are not tightly controlled, so innovation can flourish.

We congratulate the newest crop of charter schools and encourage state officials to continue down the path toward greater choices for Utah's learners.