About Us

Imagine Schools is an organization, comprised mostly of teachers, that operates 51 public charter schools and independent schools in 11 states and the District of Columbia. 

Our mission is to help parents and guardians educate their children by creating learning communities of achievement and hope.  Imagine Schools was founded with the goal of restoring vision and purpose to schools and returning parents and guardians to full participation in the education of their children.

Imagine Schools’ founders, Dennis and Eileen Bakke, are passionate about making a difference in education by applying a unique organizational and operational structure guided by shared values of integrity, justice, and fun.  This approach puts teachers and school leaders squarely in charge of the decisions affecting the schools and students they serve.  At Imagine Schools we believe in accountability and continual improvement.  Our 6 Measures of Excellence are the yardsticks we use to evaluate our effectiveness in providing a challenging, effective program of study and strong moral development in a safe, nurturing environment.  We have established criteria for evaluating ourselves and our schools in each area. We grade ourselves annually on how we are performing - where we are excelling and where we can improve.