THE SUN
Santa Maria Valley’s Weekly Newspaper

Charter school gets financial boost

Mark Twain Academies, a fledgling Santa Maria charter-school effort, recently received $150,000 toward making its campus a reality.

The grant, from EdVisions—a brainchild of Bill Gates—also comes with help and support in founding a Santa Maria charter school for seventh through 12th graders.

Rick Jimison, who helped pioneer the vision for Mark Twain Academies, said that the charter school, which is technically a public school run with fewer state and district regulations, will open with one academy and will eventually broaden to incorporate more academies.

According to Jimison, this charter school’s approach will also eventually involve individualized learning plans and study paces, an International Baccalaureate program, and teaching relevant to the real world.

Mark Twain Academies last year also received a $405,000 grant from the state and is in the process of applying for a third grant of $450,000 for the 11th- and 12th-grade programs.

For more information, visit www.marktwainacademies.org.