Governor’s task force resumes work Friday

Gov. Butch Otter’s Education Task Force will meet Friday at 10 a.m. at the Yanke Research Park (220 ParkCenter).

This group of 31 education and business leaders has been asked to offer ideas for education reform. The governor has recommended to lawmakers to provide the group with up to $34 million. However, the task force’s ideas would need to be presented to lawmakers before the end of the legislative session, which typically occurs at the end of March.

The Education Task Force met Jan. 11 and is scheduled to meet again on Feb. 8 at the Boise State Student Union Building. The State Board of Education is facilitating the work.

Friday’s agenda begins with a review of the Jan. 11 meeting. According to the agenda, the objectives of the day are as follows:

  •  Look at data and best practices in focus areas. The focus areas are professional development, teacher effectiveness, fiscal stability, technology and structure.
  • Develop goals and potential strategies for each focus area (group work).
  • Discuss and gather input from full group on each focus area’s goals and strategies.

Group work will begin in the afternoon, after the group hears several presentations in the morning sessions. Scheduled speakers include:

  •  Scott Grothe, accountability program manager, State Board of Education, on Idaho’s 60 percent postsecondary attendance goal and K-12 data.
  • Jamie MacMillan, executive director of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, on what’s next for Idaho.
  • Marguerite Rosa, Georgetown University and Center for Reinventing Public Education.
  • Paula Conley, Coeur d’Alene School District, regional best practices.
  • Phyllis Nichols, New Plymouth School District, regional best practices.
  • Linda Clark, Treasure Valley school districts, regional best practices.
  • Teresa Jackman, Pocatello School District, regional best practices.

For more details, click here to see the agenda.

Disclosure: A grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation funds Idaho Education News.

Jennifer Swindell

Jennifer Swindell

Managing editor and CEO Jennifer Swindell founded Idaho Education News in 2013. She has led the online news platform as it has grown in readership and engagement every year, reaching over one million pageviews in 2019. Jennifer has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. She also has served as a public information officer for Idaho schools and as a communication director at Boise State University. She can be reached at [email protected].

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