Introduction
by Alan Gottlieb

In the broad landscape of school choice, few organizations have achieved such meaningful impact with so little fanfare as Bluum. Born from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation’s (JKAF) ambitious “20 in 10” initiative Bluum has, over the past decade, revolutionized Idaho’s educational ecosystem, creating more new high-quality school seats than all 117 Idaho school districts combined. This transformation wasn’t accomplished through ideological crusades or political maneuvering, but through a deliberate approach combining exceptional leadership development, innovative financing solutions, and an unwavering commitment to educational quality across a variety of school models. As Bluum celebrates 10 years of impact in 2025, its story offers a powerful case study in how strategic philanthropy, coupled with operational excellence, can fundamentally reshape what’s possible in public education. “From a variety of standpoints – school leadership, academics, operational performance, tax savings, and then financial health – Bluum’s track record has been exemplary,” said Roger Quarles, JKAF’s executive director. “Based on a study (Bluum commissioned), if all of our schools were one school district, they’d be one of the top performing districts in the country.” Bluum identified 10 themes, or lessons gleaned from its decade of operation. This report is structured to examine each of those themes in detail.