We empower, invest in, and support educational leaders who take risks and put children first.
LET LEARNING GROW.
EMPOWER
We empower educational leaders in the Gem State by providing one- or two-year fellowships to those who take risks and put children first.
INVEST
In partnership with the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, Bluum serves as a funding intermediary and local champion for supporting entrepreneurial education ventures.
SUPPORT & IMPROVE
Bluum provides partner schools with additional services and technical assistance. Our team can help elevate the business of running a school by reviewing financial infrastructure and identifying areas of strength and areas for improvement.
DISCOVER & INFORM
Bluum has become a go-to resource on education research and innovation. We aim to share the work of Idaho’s high performing schools and outstanding educators. Our hope is that it can become a national model for helping all children reach their fullest potential.
$20,392,682
FEDERAL CHARTER SCHOOLS PROGRAM INVESTMENT
17,822
TOTAL NEW SCHOOL SEATS CREATED
35
TOTAL IDAHO SCHOOLS SUPPORTED
$86,315,274
TOTAL PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT
Job Opening –
Idaho Charter School Network Executive Director
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email your resume to jobs@k12searchgroup.com with the subject line: “ICSN ED.”
Applications must be received by midnight MT on January 5, 2025.
Learn More Here
Stories
It should come as no surprise that Gem Prep, the Idaho-based charter school network, has leapt ahead of the pack in its use of artificial intelligence for teacher planning and classroom instruction. Gem Prep, after all, has a strong reputation for being on the cutting edge of education innovation, particularly in the use of technology. It started as a single online school in 2004, and by the fall of 2027 will have expanded to eight in-person campuses as well as the thriving online school and a couple of blended learning pods known as Learning Societies. Gem Prep was also a 2024 Yass Prize semifinalist. But as with any new technology, the charter network has been cautious and thoughtful in its rollout of AI. “You have to balance a new technology and its uses,” said Laurie Wolfe, Gem Prep’s chief academic officer, and an avid user of AI for her own work and life. “There’s always going to be good, and there’s probably always going to be ways to use it for ill.”
When Bobby Jones retired as a Naval Commander in the fall of 2023 after 26 years of active service, he knew his next step would be to get involved in public education. Among his many duties, he had taught at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. And as he neared retirement in 2021, he was assigned to run the ROTC units at Morehouse College and the Georgia Institute of Technology in his native Georgia. What he saw among the young people, and particularly young men, in his charge, made him determined to stay in education after retirement. “It became very apparent that these kids were completely different than I was at that age. The resiliency was not there. If something was hard, they would literally just quit,” Jones said.
Data in education matters. It can help state leaders make decisions as to what works and what doesn’t in public policy. It can help district and charter network leaders see what’s working in their schools and what might need improvement or replacement. Principals deserve information that helps support students, families, and educators while making informed decisions about how to best utilize resources. Finally, data can help parents and taxpayers better understand what’s happening in their schools and with their children.
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