McKay School professor Bryan Bowles splits his time between his work at BYU and serving as chair of the Utah State Charter School Board. Bowles discovered his passion very early in life—in first grade. His love for learning and teaching began when he came home from school after a particularly inspiring reading lesson and decided to teach his sister the same lesson—his first teaching experience in a life that has been full of them. Bowles was appointed chair of the USCSB by Utah Governor Gary Herbert and re-appointed by Governor Spencer Cox. He oversees 137 schools with 78,000 Utah students. The Board has a vision that “every student has access to an excellent education that meets their unique learning needs.”
Bowles has worked on the board either as board member, vice chair, or chair for two-and-a-half years. He gets a front row seat to current legislation, working with legislators to write new policy involving the public education system. Bowles has made a difference in the charter school realm, and he also uses the opportunity to expand his teaching to a higher level here at BYU. “Having current issues to discuss with my students keeps my teaching fresh and current,” he says.
Charter schools, by nature, allow for more freedom of choice with a large variety of options for different types of schools: online coursework, AP classes, Montessori education, art schools, farming schools, and countless other options. "Our job is to approve and support quality schools that represent a wide portfolio of options for children,” Bowles says,
Writer: Felicity Kohler
Contact: Michael Leonard