AMMON, Idaho — White Pine Charter School (WPCS) is pleased to announce their ranking as the highest-performing charter school in East Idaho by the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE). The SDE also rated White Pine as the fifth-highest East Idaho school overall, and among the highest 10% of schools statewide.
Each year, the SDE releases online report cards which give “grades” to public schools and public charter schools in Idaho. On August 13, IdEdNews.org organized this year’s new SDE grades into a list for easier cross-district comparison. The resulting ranking showed White Pine as the highest-ranked charter school in the region encompassing Bingham, Bonneville, Fremont, Jefferson, and Madison counties.
WPCS Board Chairman Adam Frugoli says he is “extremely proud” of the ranking, but knows there will be more work ahead. “We are not satisfied,” he says. “We want to be the best school in Idaho and we are committed to redesigning what public education can be here.”
“I’m really excited about White Pine’s continued academic success,” says WPCS administrator Jeremy Clarke. “This just reinforces that there are successful (and free!) alternatives to the traditional schools in East Idaho. Our mission is ‘Success for every student,’ and we want that mission to show in our work, in our results, and in our students’ lives.”
The report is especially encouraging as White Pine opens their White Pine STEM Academy for its first school year on August 22. This new school will serve students from 7th to 9th grade and will work to connect advanced technology, project-based learning, and industry leaders to prepare students for the high-paying jobs of tomorrow (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). WPCS plans to expand the STEM Academy in coming years into a full high school. It is located on a five-acre property in Ammon (2664 First Street).
The SDE’s report card is primarily based on objective student test achievement, but also includes factors like graduation rates, teacher retention, learner progress, and career readiness. Combining these scores gives each school an overall composite score or “grade.”
Founded in 2001, White Pine Charter School is the largest and oldest charter school in East Idaho. They serve a diverse student body of more than 500 in kindergarten through 9th grade, with students coming from all over East Idaho.
For more information on WPCS and White Pine STEM Academy, visit https://whitepinecharterschool.org/.
For media contacts, please email Matt Wiltbank at wiltbankma@wpcscougars.org.
Related link: https://whitepinecharterschool.org/
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