Idaho Home Learning Academy presents statewide virtual-charter model, asks Legislature to ease charter cap

At a House Education Committee meeting, Terry Sorensen, executive director of Idaho Home Learning Academy, told lawmakers the program is a statewide virtual public charter school authorized by Oneida School District serving K–12 students with a mix of synchronous, asynchronous and in-person supports and an emphasis on parent choice.

Sorensen said Idaho Home Learning Academy provides parents and students “complete curriculum aligned to state standards” and that “parents are each provided an education savings account, or ESA, of $1,800 per student per year.” She described a model in which parents select supplemental resources, submit student artifacts to demonstrate mastery, and receive teacher feedback through routine check-ins and portfolio review.

The petition to legislators: Sorensen asked the committee to consider changing or removing a statutory cap that she said limits charter growth to 40 units (described in testimony as “statute 30 three‑fifty two‑seven”), arguing the numeric cap could force the program to turn away students. She said the program currently serves about 7,925 students and that a fixed numeric cap is inequitable, proposing instead a percentage‑based approach or complete removal of the cap.

Why it matters: Committee members pressed Sorensen on…