I’m writing this review under a different name because Idaho Falls is a small town. We had a great experience at Alturas initially. We appreciated the collaborative environment and high academic expectations. One of our children dealt with some bullying and it was taken care of immediately and effectively. We were quite impressed for a while. However, our son had a teacher who was often unkind and he developed severe anxiety about going to school. We tried talking to school leadership about the situation and were told we should not be too soft or he would never learn to work hard. It was a confusing and concerning conversation. We didn’t want the academic expectations lowered, we just wanted his teacher to be nice to him. Eventually we moved him into a new school and his anxiety completely disappeared. He’s back to his happy, normal self. We’re sad it didn’t work out for him.

They cherry pick their students and simply expel any child that will bring down their numbers. As theyve grown theyve lost sight of their mission and anyone who has a concern is told they are a school of choice and you can chose to leave. Its really said what a terrible administration and school board they have.

The last 3 years I’ve had children attending this school and been a part of the school’s community in different capacities. From the secretary to Mr. Bingham and Mrs. Ball, each person there is invested in providing the absolute best environment for these kids to learn. There is a constant push to embrace higher curriculum standards and seek out the most beneficial tools, programs and resources to ensure their students have access to the foremost education available.I cannot stress enough the absolute dedication the administration and teachers have to creating an environment striving to support every single child in being successful at their specific level. While kids are grouped within their grade levels, each child is monitored and evaluated to ensure the curriculum is geared towards that child’s specific needs. There is no child left behind.All kids are expected to be responsible for their actions and learning. Kids are encouraged to think for themselves, learn how to be leaders, be curious about the world around them; to invest in themselves and their education. The mentality that you’re never done learning, you always try your best and that they should always challenge themselves to grow in all areas of their lives will be a cornerstone in these kids success later in life.Without a doubt, I know my kids are receiving the best education offered in this area.

This school is very unproffesional my neice went to this school and we took her out of the school because it was a horrible experience for her. Also, it has crazy rude rules and for that reason they hand out reflection sheets like theyre candy on halloweenThere is a pro to it however and that pro is that students get to work in collaborative partnerships and they can get their work done a lot easier when they have lots of people to ask questions to. So bravo to Mrs. Ball for that.By: Official Idaho Reviews

This is truly and amazing school. I have built so many wonderful friendships here and I have learned so much!

We switched to Alturas in the middle of the year, when my daughter was in first grade. She wasnt doing well in school. She was anxious. She wasnt herself. The first day at Alturas, she was singing and smiling. Alturas changed my daughters life. She went from hating school, to loving it. We love the structure, and the staff.

Alturas is an incredible school. As the parent of 5 children (2 with special needs), I have accumulated myriad experiences over the last 20 years at different types of schools in Idaho Falls (Private school, traditional Public school, Virtual/Home school, and 2 Charter schools. I cannot recommend Alturas highly enough. The administrators, teachers, students, families, and curriculum provide unmatched opportunities for individual learning and growth. My youngest son (on the Autism Spectrum) particularly benefited from the positive and supportive learning environment and culture at Alturas.

Alturas has been a completely wonderful experience for my children. This is our second year and I have found that my kids are more confident, better able to express themself and their scores are way beyond where they were. They have had great teachers and have made great friends.I love the fact that there is a super healthy, fresh food served there versus frozen, canned or processed food.I find the administration to be particularly competent and helpful. I believe that a school this successful this early has to have some people at the top with true vision and leadership.I would highly recommend this school to anyone.

To clarify, Mrs. Ball did not create her position; the role of Executive Director was created as part of the original school charter by the Alturas Board of Directors, as a dual role along with the Principal. The model for the school itself was developed by Mrs. Ball, based on her thirty-plus years as an educator, during which she has been recognized on both state and national levels. The idea of starting a charter school, based on that model, came from specific requests by parents whose children had thrived in Mrs. Balls elementary school classroom over the years. I am proud to be a part of this outstanding school.

Alturas has been a wonderful school for my kids. The staff is wonderful and truly care about the growth of the kids. This school is able to help those kids who are struggling and specifically target the areas to help them grow, while creating the avenue to support those that are doing well. I have watched my kids flourish at this school, and would recommend this school to those who are looking for a different approach to education.

Incredible school! I love the combined age classrooms and the project base teaching. It has been such a blessing for my children. Teachers go above and beyond. You are truly part of a family at Alturas.

They claim to have a collaborative school but they are never aloud to talk to each other. They get a short lunch and are not aloud to leave their seats once the sit down they dont use a normal grading system and have so much homework (about two to three hours ) after going to school for seven whole hours.

Its a good school and i really enjoy all of the teachers their all super nice and helpful.

Alturas is an amazing school. I love that they teach at your child’s level instead of their grade, by doing this, your child can learn at their own pace. I also love that they have a sense of community and helping each other in the classroom. Michelle Ball and Principle Bingham have been amazing, you can genuinely tell that they love education and the teaching/learning of students.

My kids have attended Alturas since it has opened. I absolutely love everything about it and am so grateful they have the opportunity to attend.My 4th grader has so much confidence and demonstrates leadership skills he never had before. School has been difficult for him but this model has allowed him to learn in small groups, at his own pace, and he is no longer behind. Something I never would have thought was possible.I love the administration (Mr. Bingham and Mrs. Ball) and their eagerness to help the teachers and students in this unique model. They are always available and know the kids by name.The teachers are phenomenal and are easy to get to know. I am grateful for their willingness to learn this unique model. I know it requires more of their time but I have seen it bless the kids when I am in the classrooms.My only wish is theyd add more classes. We have a lot of friends on the waiting list that we would love to join us!!!

An awesome school! I love the way the teachers help my children grow! My daughter loves to go to school! It is a great learning experience!

We love Alturas! Our kids have been there since the beginning and we have seen a huge growth in their learning and study skills. One of our kids was struggling learning to read and a local public school just wanted to hold her back. Mrs. Ball looked me straight in the eye and told me that Alturas doesnt push kids to the side. Her reading level went from a 1.9 to a 3.3 in just 1 year there. Mrs. Ball willingly met with us about another topic and we had an open conversation. I appreciate having an administration that is willing to have an open dialogue wether we agree or not, we can talk about it. Kids do come first here!!! We are so excited that Alturas is working towards a High School so that my kids can stay here until they graduate. This is a great place for educating the children.

We love Alturas! We met Mrs Ball at Sunnyside Elementary and loved her class for our first child. We followed her to Alturas and have been so happy! Our oldest struggles focusing in large groups so the small group instruction is so helpful for him! We now have all 4 kids that attend the school and we couldn’t be happier! The kind of environment the school creates and the IB values they teach the kids create a kind culture. All the kids in my sons class are friends and they all work together on different projects which helps create that unity in the classroom! This school is just was Idaho Falls needs and I’m so grateful to have come in contact with Mrs Ball and follow her on her amazing journey!

We love this school. Our oldest has thrived at Alturas. He didn’t advance much in reading and math during first grade in the public school system last year. He started at Alturas his second grade year and he has gone up in grade level for both subjects. He loves the opportunity to share and help the first graders, second graders, and third graders in class. My daughter who i worried would struggle with her first year of school has thrived and loves to learn and has been able to advance in all the things she was taught and ready for first grade. I love the IB profiles they are taught because they are things that all of us can and should be able to live by. The teachers have a great love for these students and take the time to understand the students. Mrs. Ball is a wonderful director and cares very much about each student and the school. I have been there to help in my children’s class rooms and seen her come in and all the kids rush to tell her hi and listen to her if she has something to share. Me. Bingham is equally loved by the students. I love the opportunity my children have to learn a second language. They love to tell us what they have learned in Spanish. It has made our household work at learning Spanish.

We started with Mrs Ball at Sunnyside and followed her here as well. We love the small group instruction and IB curriculum. Highly recommend this school

I have been a part of the Alturas community for two years now. During this time I have witnessed how the small group instructional model has impacted our students learning. When my own son started I noticed tremendous growth and he even said, Wow I work hard and learn a lot at my new school. He has truly taken off and I couldnt be happier.I came to Alturas with nearly a decade of experience as an educator in Floridas public schools. Our school districts were massive so we had many different types of public schools: Dual Language Immersion, IB (International Baccalaureate), Magnet programs of all types, etc. The IB schools maintained a reputation of excellence providing students with enrichment, rigor, and preparation for success in higher education and beyond. I am so glad my own children get the opportunity to attend an IB school and to further their Spanish language skills as well!The administration (Mr. Bingham, principal and Mrs. Ball, director/founder) has provided tremendous support. I have worked for several administrations prior and there is no comparison to the level of commitment and willingness to help problem solve for the betterment of our students. They are committed to providing structured learning environments that promote student-driven learning at the highest levels and they dont settle for less. I am extremely impressed by how far Alturas has come in such a short amount of time.

Alturas has a phenomenal model and is an amazing school due to the tremendous leadership of our administrators, who by the way, established our model. I work there day in and day out and I could not do the work I do without the incredible support of Mrs. Ball and Mr. Bingham from whom I have learned so much and have the utmost respect!

I had the privilege of teaching at Alturas during its inaugural year in 2016-2017, and my three daughters also attended the school at that time. Since then, my family has moved from the area, and we miss this community of learners very much.Alturas is unique and special in its unwavering commitment to excellence in education and its ability to support individual student needs. Alturas teaches students at their individual instructional levels so students are constantly being challenged and encouraged to grow. Students work collaborately in groups, learning communication skills while developing a deeper understanding of other students viewpoints. This cooperative approach to learning helps students develop self confidence while building respect for their peers.The leadership at Alturas, under Mrs. Ball and Mr. Bingham, is commited to supporting students. By putting students needs first, these leaders are commited to solving problems and finding creative or new ways of doing things. These leaders and this school really do care about children and are willing to go above and beyond to help students and their families. I learned so much from teaching Alturas and I am so grateful for this experience.

We were thrilled when our kids got into Alturas during the lottery since Id read the 4- and 5-star reviews here and talked to another parent who loves the school. So when we received notification of the middle-school orientation, we were excited to learn more, meet the teachers and other parents, and get our children situated. We were especially excited about the new location and the fact our kids would be off school every Friday. It all sounded so wonderful on paper.Unfortunately, the orientation changed everything for us. When we first entered the school, I saw materials hanging on the walls that were concerning as they seemed to promote only one culture and leaned rather heavily toward the Liberal Left. My unease grew during the presentation as philosophies and educational ideologies were presented that were rather Marxist. And although Mrs. Ball was nice, she was a little out there. We left feeling very uncomfortable about the school, but I certainly didn’t want to blow what could be an opportunity for my kids. So, not sure what to do, I went home and did a lot of online research into Alturas International. I read about the program’s origins and also found reviews and pro/con articles from folks across the country whose children are (or were) being educated using the Alturas curriculum. I wanted to get as much information as possible before making a final decision so it would be a fully-informed decision.The information I dug up about the program was not reassuring. A number of parents and students had troubling criticisms of not only the overwhelming workload in the upper grades (especially high school), but also of the program’s overall religious and political bent. Since the local Alturas charter hasnt been around long enough to see any workload concerns come to fruition, I can only go by what others elsewhere have said.But as to the political/religious concerns, I lived among liberal elites for a number of years and learned that any group routinely using buzzwords or phrases like “empowerment,” “global community,” diversification, “group dialogue” and similar are people with whom I’m very unlikely to agree. In fact, the two biggest criticisms of Alturas Internationals curriculum are that its anti-American and anti-Judeo-Christian. When I read that, I knew I wasn’t crazy for feeling uncomfortable at the orientation since that was the kind of vibe I’d gotten there. I also discovered that a local Alturas student had complained about being required to read material s/he felt went against his/her beliefs, but was denied the option of reading an alternate book. There were a couple of other complaints about the local charter that were similarly disturbing.So all of these factors, combined with my personal feelings during the orientation, ultimately led me to pull both of my kids out of this school. I know two families who love Alturas and think it’s the best place ever, but I also happen to know that those families and I don’t often agree in our philosophical, educational, or political opinions. So while I think it’s great for those who enjoy Alturas, I just dont think its the right curriculum for us.

Amazing School, Great program, Friendly Staff and Fantastic Teachers

It the worst school ever

It is the worst school ever