Seven new schools promising parent involvement and a better way to teach children want to open their doors to Utah kids.
But only three charter school applicants are being recommended for approval.
Thursday, each gave their pitch to the law and policy committee of the Utah State Board of Education. The full state school board votes on the applications next week.
Charter schools are public schools governed by boards of parents and teachers and are aimed at providing more choices in education. The state school board has authorized 13 since 1998.
The current applicants are:
Ravenwood Academy, twice turned down by Davis School District was denied by the state board committee for reasons that included an accusation that the applicants were looking to the charter school business for money.
"This appears to me to be a commercial venture," board member Denis Morrill said.
Other concerns included an apparent requirement for parents to volunteer at the school, the lack of a full-time counselor and the possibility the school's building would be used improperly for religious education during non-school hours.
Applicant Jeff Herr, principal of Indian Hills Elementary in Salt Lake City, said he intends to provide a school where at-risk and low-income students could be academically challenged and become well-prepared for college. For those students who struggle or have behavior problems, Ravenwood would offer after-school homework help and weekend and night school options.
Herr said he may seek charter approval in Salt Lake or Ogden school districts. Davis administrators were not present to respond to the application.
Moab Community School, a proposed arts-based school for kindergartners through eighth-graders, also was rejected.
Applicants described the school as a good fit for the community and a viable alternative to area schools, particularly for Hispanic and Native American students who may have unique learning styles.
But committee members questioned whether the proposed school's lessons would align with the state core curriculum and whether too much of its budget was devoted to arts.
Grand School District officials questioned whether the school would incorporate spiritual education under the guise of art education. They also say a charter school would draw teachers and students away from regular schools, something the 1,500-student district couldn't handle financially.
"If the charter school is approved, we're going to be affected to the tune of $450,000," said Grand superintendent Ron Ferguson. "The losers would be the students."
Charter applicants, however, say the school would draw a number of out-of-district, out-of-state and home-schooled students.
Applicant Damian Nash said he instead may consider creating a private school to meet community demands.
Mountain Valley Academy, a proposed Heber school for 125 first- through fifth graders aiming to open in fall 2004, did not receive the committee's approval. The school would provide innovative, hands-on education in core subjects, plus foreign language, arts and physical education courses, its application said.
But the committee believed parts of the application, including how to educate potential special education students, were vague, and urged steering committee member Pam Cone to tighten and resubmit the application.
Cone said she would. "With guidance, we will make it right, and we will be back."
Wasatch School District had denied the application partly because it had not developed policies regarding charter schools and was unsure how the school might perform.
Three other charter school applicants were cleared for possible approval. They are:
The Academy for Math, Engineering and Science, a partnership among Granite and Salt Lake City school districts and the University of Utah, which would be housed in Cottonwood High School.
The academy would receive support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is the first of six state-sponsored charter schools envisioned as part of Gov. Mike Leavitt's New Century High School initiative.
Freedom Academy, a Provo school set to open this fall and eventually take in 350 students K-8.
The school would be patterned after Timpanogos Academy, a Utah County charter school with a waiting list exceeding 100 students. It proposes a rigorous curriculum that includes Spanish classes.
It aims to set up shop in Provo's old Maeser Elementary School, at a cost of $750,000 for the land and building, plus a minimum $256,000 for building upgrades, applicant Andrea Perri said.
Provo School District had denied the charter because the application came in before the board had hired a new superintendent.
Soldier Hollow School, which was formerly Sundance Mountain Charter School before moving out of the canyon, also received a stamp of approval. It focuses on environmental studies. It would enroll 66 children in grades 1-8.
The committee held off on a recommendation for Discovery, a proposed Provo junior high school, partly so applicants David West and Diana Stewart West could draw up plans for potential special education students. Diane West is an educator and doctoral candidate at Brigham Young University,
The school would include mentors, peer tutoring, service, hands-on learning opportunities, and correspondence with a sister school in Guatemala. A local businessman has offered building space for the 120-student school.
E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com