Last February, the Idaho Legislature and Gov. Brad Little passed a new charter school law, which “encourages the advancement of innovative approaches,” according to the Idaho Public Charter School Commission’s Director.
The law provides a faster track for new charter schools to get started. It’s designed to add to the more than 70 charter schools already teaching 30,000 kids in Idaho, which, according to Idaho Education News, represents almost 10% of all school-age students.
In August, the first new school to come forward under the new law got conditional approval from the Commission. Brabeion Academy bills itself as ‘"daho's 1st Public School of Sport," and plans to teach kids in grades K-8 at a school in Nampa.
The approval came with some conditions, including securing a building for the school and finding funding and transportation. All of which Branden Durst, the Chairman of Brabeion, is confident can be done by the deadlines set by the Commission.
Durst served in the Idaho Legislature and worked on the "advanced opportunities program." He’s worked as an analyst for the Idaho Freedom Foundation and was appointed superintendent of the West Bonner School District two years ago before being forced out for not having a superintendent’s license.
Since Brabeion's approval, Durst has been busy speaking with school board trustees in the Treasure Valley and working to secure a brick and mortar building for the school.
Because this is the first charter approved under the new law, we wanted to find out more about Brabeion and we wanted to start a larger conversation about charter schools in Idaho and about issues like school choice and taxpayer dollars in education.
We’re beginning that conversation here with Durst and we’re inviting you to weigh in. What do you think about the charter school law? What do you think about the new school choice law since it passed during the 2025 Legislature? Who should we talk to next as we dive further into these topics? Send us your thoughts via email to idahomatters@boisestate.edu.
