New public charter schools in Montana prepare for the school year

HELENA – Starting this school year, school districts across Montana will open more than a dozen new public charter schools under a state law passed last year.

Each of the 17 charter schools opening this year will look a little different—and that means the effort required to prepare them will be different, too.

“It takes a lot more effort to engage parents because they have to explain their options because they are so new and different that it takes a little more time – but it's really, really exciting,” said Josh McKay, assistant superintendent of Helena Public Schools.

In January, the Montana Board of Public Education approved 19 proposed charter schools from 11 school districts – although two of them are not scheduled to open this year.

Three of the successful proposals came from Helena Public Schools. Most unusual for the district will be Mount Ascension Learning Academy, which will offer middle and high school students individualized learning plans that can range from fully in-person to fully virtual. McKay met directly with families to design the plans.

“The response was really very positive,” he said.

The schools are setting up “transition centers,” spaces where teachers can work one-on-one with Mount Ascension students.

“One of the things we've learned through online learning – COVID, if you will – is that we've lost the connection with our students – it's that interpersonal relationship,” said Rex Weltz, superintendent of Helena Public Schools. “So these are areas where students come in, work one-on-one with a teacher and then get that support and then do what they need to do somewhere else.”

There are currently about 100 students enrolled at Mount Ascension.

“Parents who choose Mount Ascension are not dissatisfied with the public education system; they just want the opportunity to decide what is best for them,” Weltz said.

The other two charter schools in Helena were already existing programs, but Weltz said converting them to charter schools will allow them to expand — and give them the opportunity to apply for additional funding from the state.

“It seems counterintuitive to open three new charter schools when our general fund is strapped, like every other district in the state,” he said. “But the truth is that charter schools have a basic need that is basically self-funding. It hasn't cost us any additional money from the general fund. In fact, it's been a source of revenue for us, just under $1 million.”

Jonathon Ambarian

The Helena Montessori Charter will open a kindergarten class at Central Elementary School this year, with 18 additional students. Weltz says the class will likely continue to expand in the coming years – so they can work through the growing waiting list for the district's Montessori program.

“By making this a charter school, we want to shorten the wait time for our community, parents and families,” he said.

The district's Alternative Learning Project, which already provides a different learning environment, will not significantly change its operations this year, but Weltz said they are planning what the school will look like in the future as a charter school. They hope to begin accepting ninth-graders next year.

Weltz said it will take some time for the district and families to get used to the new options.

“I just got a call from a parent who needs PAL but then found out about Mount Ascension and said, 'Well, that might be where we go instead,'” he said. “So that's the exciting thing about the opportunities that the Helena School District offers: Students can choose what's best for them.”

McKay said HPS still has openings for Mount Ascension. He encouraged anyone with questions about the district's charter programs to call the main office at (406) 324-2004.

In the East Helena School District, principals say it has been hard work enrolling children in the 227 Academy charter school and assigning staff.

“It’s fast and furious,” said Superintendent Dan Rispens.

Rispens said earlier this year that the application and planning process for the districts was already completed very quickly. There were further delays in East Helena as it dealt with the aftermath of significant vandalism.

The 227 Academy also emphasizes individualized instruction. Rispens said a major focus will be allowing students to complete the curriculum at their own pace, and the district is exploring options like dual enrollment, dual credit and early graduation in the future.

“It's not going to be a super-stunning opening,” he said. “It's going to be a little more subtle, and we're going to build things up little by little – and we really want a lot of input from the kids.”