Montana’s Board of Public Education Friday approved five applications from public school districts seeking to establish new public charter schools, paving the way for more tailored instructional efforts in communities around the state.
This week’s vote brings the total number of board-approved public charter schools statewide to 24, a stark illustration of the option’s popularity in the wake of the 2023 Legislature. During that session, lawmakers passed a bipartisan-supported proposal allowing existing school districts to pursue creating their own charter schools and directing additional state funding to such initiatives. The board received two dozen charter applications in fall 2023, more than four times the number legislators had anticipated, and greenlit 19 of them for opening in subsequent school years.
Board members took their first close look at the latest batch of 12 applications last month and continued their examination this week ahead of a final vote Friday. In a resolution passed unanimously, the board approved the following charter applications for opening in fall 2025: Big Horn Academy, an alternative school situated in Hardin for students at risk of not graduating; Butte Pathway Academy, which aims to emphasize trades-based education and career exploration; Libby Central Charter School, another alternative school proposal for students who are struggling academically; Ronan Charter Academy, which focuses on work-based learning and career pathways; and the Central Montana Career and Technical Education Academy, a proposed regional career and technical education hub located in Lewistown…