Charles City Teacher Honored with Hall of Fame Recognition

Charles City, Iowa (KTTC) – A Charles City Community Schools teacher has been inducted into the Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) Hall of Fame.

Don Betts is director and teacher at Carrie Lane High School. A pioneer in the progression of alternative education in Iowa, Betts served for many years on the board of the IAAE and has acted as a guide and mentor to countless teachers and schools throughout the state over the past quarter-century.

This year, his lengthy efforts to create an alternative schooling environment for younger students led to the founding of the FLEX online branch of Charles City’s Innovative Campus for upper elementary, middle school and high school students.

The IAAE Hall of Fame honors those who have made significant contributions to the field of alternative education, ranging from specific innovations to research, publications and an ability to engage and inspire students, colleagues and the greater community.

Josh Dean, a teacher at the Innovative Campus and a colleague of Betts, says, “There are hundreds of kids throughout the world whose lives are forever changed for the better because they have met this amazing man. He has literally been the difference between life and death for many of our kids.”