Thomas Jefferson Charter named national ESEA Distinguished School

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – Caldwell’s Thomas Jefferson Charter School has achieved standout status as Idaho’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished School for 2022.

The national ESEA Distinguished Schools Program recognizes outstanding achievements by Title 1 schools from each state that are serving a high proportion of at-risk students. To be eligible for the award, schools must have a poverty rate among students’ families of at least 35 percent for the selected school year and demonstrate high academic achievement for two or more years.

“Exceptional performance always deserves recognition, and I’m thrilled to congratulate the educators at Thomas Jefferson Charter School for their dedication in ensuring that every single student, regardless of circumstances, has the chance to grow, learn and succeed,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said. “This school is truly an outstanding example of the phenomenal education that Idaho has to offer.”

Thomas Jefferson Charter was honored in the category of exceptional student performance and academic growth. The school outperformed more than 90 percent of Idaho elementary, middle and high schools in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency for both English language arts and mathematics in 2021. More than 39 percent of the school’s students come from an economically disadvantaged background.

All National ESEA Distinguished Schools are honored with a commemorative award package, a dedicated section on the ESEA Network website and a special presentation at the National ESEA Conference Feb. 1-4 in Indianapolis.