Saved Schools

Gem Prep Online

Gem Prep Online, nominated by Getting Smart, is an elementary/middle/high school in Deary, Idaho, that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily urban/suburban/rural area.

Location Deary, Idaho

Governance Public Charter School

Grades Elementary, Middle, High

Students 574

Locale Rural, Suburban, Urban

Principal Heather McKenna

Demographics

Percentage of students*

English Learners

32%

Free/Reduced Lunch

7%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 1%

American Indian/Alaska Native 1%

Asian

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Hispanic or Latino 10%

White 84%

2+ Races

Why Gem Prep Online was nominated

Gem Prep Online (multiple locations in ID) offers Learning Societies in rural communities providing flexible, high quality, public charter education options. These small-group learning hubs are designed to each serve 30-40 students in grades K-12 online and with in-person learning activities including academic support, group projects, and social time with friends.

Student experience design

Gem Prep: Online allows students to attend a college preparatory school from home or at one of their Learning Societies (microschools). The culination of their K-12 experience is students working toward the completion of an associate's degree by the time they graduate high school- and most do!

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Blended Learning

5+ years

Early College High School

5+ years

All Practices

Adaptive Learning Software

Student Advisories

AI For Teacher Productivity

Competency/mastery-based Education

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Individual Learning Paths

Peer To Peer Support

Students Access Their Own Data

Tutoring

key reasons for innovating

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Improve academic achievement

Increase student agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.