Gem Prep Charter School begins construction on ninth campus in Rexburg

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) - Gem Prep Charter School is beginning construction on its ninth Gem Prep campus. This one will be located in Rexburg and plans to open in August 2027. It will serve grades K-9 before expanding to K-12 by 2031.

Gem Prep focuses on getting its students college-ready and centers their curriculum around that.

"We do that by focusing both on academic preparation and on the development of competencies," Gem Prep CEO Jason Bransford said. "Things like helping students develop time management skills, organizational skills, how to prioritize what they need to do that day, the ability to communicate effectively with others."

There are some similarities between Public and Charter schools, such as free admission and government funding, but there are some notable differences to be aware of.

Charter Schools:

• Create their own curriculum
• Operated by organizations under a charter
• May have private donors to help with funding
• Does not have to follow state regulations and requirements
• Could have a lottery system to cap enrollment

Public Schools:

• Operated by school district
• Completely publicly funded
• Has to follow state regulations and requirements
• Has to accept all students within a certain geographical area

Charter schools often spark debate online about how public education funds are distributed. However, a report by IdahoEDNews suggests Charter Schools could offer valuable lessons on financial management in education to their Public counterparts.

As for the per-student funding, the money follows the student.

"Where a student gets educated is where the money goes to educate the student," Bransford said. "And so we want students to come here, be educated here. We receive the funding to educate those students. So the money also follows the expense."

If you are interested in more information about Gem Prep schools, click HERE.