Virtual charter school wins $100,000 'Go On' grant

by Brian Walker
| December 15, 2011 8:15 PM

POST FALLS - The Idaho Distance Education Academy, an accredited statewide K-12 virtual charter school with about 300 local students enrolled, recently won a $100,000 grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.

The funding is through the foundation's "Go On" Challenge that encourages schools to increase opportunities for students after high school.

I-DEA, named the challenge's Most Improvement Overall Winner, has a resource center in Post Falls to serve North Idaho students.

Stephanie Childress, an I-DEA teacher, said the grant complements the mission of the academy.

"The heart of what we try to achieve is post-secondary goals," she said. "We line students up with what will come after high school."

Childress said the academy plans to use the money to expand learning programs.

Seventy percent of the academy's graduating seniors will have earned credits they can take with them to colleges next year.

Lakeland High was also among the eight schools statewide that received a $100,000 grant.