Freedom Academy, a private, for‑profit nondenominational Christian high school in Eagle, Idaho, began offering a pathway for its students to earn a bachelor’s degree before they receive their high‑school diploma. The program runs through Texas‑based Smarter By 1 Degree, an online learning company that connects high‑schoolers with college‑level courses from a handful of universities.
How the program works
Students enroll at Freedom Academy, which charges about $9,000 to $10,000 per year – comparable to tuition at Boise State – to cover both the high‑school curriculum and the Smarter By 1 Degree college component. In ninth or tenth grade, each student completes a “discovery year” to identify an area of interest. Most begin as business‑administration majors, though they may change majors after the first semester.
During the discovery year, students start taking online college courses that count toward a bachelor’s degree. The high‑school diploma is accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, while the college degrees receive accreditation from the individual universities that provide the coursework.
University partnerships under scrutiny
Smarter By 1 Degree promotes relationships with a dozen private‑school choice programs, but the exact university partners are disputed. When Idaho Education News contacted several institutions listed as partners, one university president denied any formal partnership and warned the outlet of potential legal action if it described the relationship as such.
Following that response, Smarter By 1 Degree removed the list of partner universities from its website and asked the news outlet not to name them. Chloe Whiteford, an assistant to the company’s CEO, said the partnerships are “important business and academic relationships” and that public disclosure could harm them.
Student outcomes and tuition
Freedom Academy expects every student to complete the bachelor’s degree program. One senior is slated to graduate in 2028 with a business‑administration degree from Crestpoint University, an online for‑profit university based in Arizona that also denied a formal partnership with Smarter By 1 Degree.
Smarter By 1 Degree advertises a starting tuition of $3,000 per year for students who enroll directly with the company, a figure that fits many state educational savings accounts (ESAs). Families at Freedom Academy have applied for Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit, though the Idaho State Tax Commission does not pre‑approve schools for the credit and places responsibility on parents to verify eligibility.
Faith and critical thinking
Founder Ashley Meyer, a former Catholic who now identifies as a nondenominational Protestant, says the school’s mission is to equip students to “endure questioning and remain faithful.” The curriculum weaves Bible lessons throughout, and the Socratic method is used to encourage critical thinking.
“Faith is woven into everything we do, so you can’t escape it,” Meyer explained. She added that while Smarter By 1 Degree provides the academic coursework, the school must teach students to think critically, know who they are, defend their faith and solve problems.
Community response
Freedom Academy’s enrollment has grown each year since its 2022 opening, and about 20 students are currently enrolled. Parents who have chosen the program cite the ability to bypass traditional undergraduate years and reduce overall college costs. Critics, however, point to the lack of transparent university partnerships and the for‑profit nature of both the high school and the online university as potential concerns for families relying on public tax‑credit programs.
As Idaho continues to expand school‑choice options, the Freedom Academy model highlights the intersection of faith‑based education, parental‑choice financing and the need for clear oversight of private‑sector partnerships delivering college credit.
Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.
