Bend International School presents charter renewal; leaders highlight academic gains and raise funding-equity concern
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Summary
Bend International School told the Ben La Pine School Board it has shown steady academic gains and serves students who might not otherwise enroll in district schools. The presenter also said state funding flows leave BIS classrooms receiving a smaller share of the funding generated for their students and asked the board to consider equity during the MOU process.
Bend International School leaders presented their charter-renewal case to the Ben La Pine School Board on the evening of the district’s December meeting, highlighting enrollment, student demographics and recent gains on academic measures. Melissa Bondesdolakia, speaking for the school, said BIS enrolls 234 students, about 11% from outside the district, and reported increases in proficiency—an approximate 6% rise in ELA and 13% in science year over year—and consistent placement in the “high growth, high achievement” quadrant on the NWEA MAP assessment.
Bondesdolakia said BIS serves a diverse student body (about 27% BIPOC) and offers project-based, bilingual/international programming that she argued strengthens overall district offerings. She credited targeted instruction for reducing the number of students classified as “far below” grade level and said the school’s approach “moves students out of far below” while preserving student voice and belonging.
Beyond outcomes, Bondesdolakia raised a funding-equity concern she said district leaders and the board should consider during the upcoming MOU process. She stated that, under the current state funding flow, BIS generates roughly $1,100,000 that remains with Ben La Pine Schools and that, in her presentation, kindergarten–fifth-grade students at BIS receive only about 85% of their intended per-pupil allocation; she also said facility payments effectively divert an additional share (she estimated about 20%) of per-pupil funding. Bondesdolakia explicitly characterized this as a state policy issue and asked the board to examine possible equity-focused solutions that would allow funds generated on behalf of BIS students to be used for their benefit.
Board members asked for clarifications about enrollment mix (in-district versus out-of-district students), the meaning of “homeschool plus private-to-public” families who enroll at BIS, and how neurodiversity is counted (Bondesdolakia said roughly 11% of students are on IEPs and additional students receive other classifications, with total neurodiversity nearer 18%). Chair Marcus LeGrand and Superintendent Dr. Steven Cook responded that the funding flow described reflects state formula mechanics and not a district funding choice; Cook noted the board will review the materials and that the MOU process follows approval.
Two BIS staff/parents—Amanda Wright, a founding teacher, and Jill Tisdale, an enrichment teacher and parent—spoke in support of renewal, citing teacher autonomy, close teacher–student relationships, and the school’s success supporting students with special needs. The board said it will review the information and expects to take up the renewal request at its January 13, 2026 meeting.
The board heard the presentation and public support during a scheduled public hearing and did not take a final vote on the charter renewal at the December session; the renewal determination was set for the next regular meeting.
