Sen. Dean Mortimer’s voluntary turnaround bill now heads to the House, where a similar bill stalled out a year ago.
Statehouse roundup, 2.14.19: Charter administrators bill heads to Senate floor
In other news, a Nampa student gets a hearing on a bill to give high-achieving students a more flexible high school schedule.
State Board approves University of Idaho president’s request for leave
The plan would allow outgoing President Chuck Staben to return to teaching at U of I in 2020 and earn no less than the highest paid full professor in the college.
Kevin's Blog
Expert analysis and the latest news from award-winning journalist Kevin Richert.
Blaine County disputes Ybarra’s mastery ‘waiting list’
Report: Funding formula ‘wealth adjustment’ could put more financial pressure on schools
Superintendent Ybarra’s schedule: Feb. 11-15
More grim budget news: January tax collections fall far short of projections
Sami Edge joins Idaho Education News
She will focus on reporting with an eye toward multimedia and storytelling innovation.
Monday’s big K-12 budget hearing: what to watch for
Lawmakers will make decisions that could dictate where the state’s public school dollars go — and set the stage for other spending bills down the road.
Jefferson promotes Martin to superintendent
He’s been with the district for several years and was selected from a pool of 18 candidates.
Voices
Educators, community members and students share their opinions about Idaho education.
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Why school choice has worked for us
All students deserve access to quality early childhood education programs
Bonneville names new superintendent
Scott Woolstenhulme will replace outgoing superintendent Chuck Shackett at the end of this school year.
Idaho’s ‘go-on rate’ shows no improvement
Fewer than 45 percent of the state’s high school graduates went straight to college last fall. Despite a multimillion-dollar campaign to encourage students to continue their education, this number has remained stagnant.
Insurance company to cover stolen funds in Teton
The more than $300,000 will reimburse what the district lost to an email scam.
Statehouse roundup, 2.13.19: Teacher pay raise bill unveiled; guns-in-schools bill on hold
Gov. Little has changed his salary proposal since January’s State of the State address.
Statehouse roundup, 2.12.19: Executive session bill introduced, STEM opportunity for teachers
Under the bill, school boards with vacancies could enter into executive session based on a majority vote.
Boise’s Marian Pritchett school to shift to hybrid model
The school has served pregnant teens since 1964. But enrollment has dropped sharply in the past two years, and the district will cut back on the school’s on-site faculty.
Statehouse roundup, 2.11.19: New immunization opt-out bill surfaces
In other Statehouse news, an East Idaho school district says an Idaho Falls legislator jumped the gun on a sex education bill.
‘Irreplaceable’ teacher retires after 40 years
Steve Wilder helped grow the West Ada School District’s agricultural program from three to 13 teachers.
House Education Committee introduces sex education ‘opt-in’ bill
The bill’s sponsor says parents’ rights have been overstepped through obscene classroom materials that are “sexualizing our kids.”
AG outlines renewal conditions for embattled charter school
The state is recommending changes to the school’s financial practices, training for trustees and improved academic achievement.
Education groups express concerns with proposed school funding formula
More than 120 people — including school superintendents and other administrators, trustees, educators, parents and taxpayers — filled the Statehouse’s largest hearing room.
Former executive accuses IEA president of improper behavior
Three months after leaving the union, former executive director Sue Wigdorski sent a scathing letter to the IEA’s board of directors. The IEA says the complaints against President Kari Overall are “unfounded and without merit.”
Statehouse roundup, 2.6.19: School funding formula hearing preview, mastery bill emerges
Find out how to testify during Thursday’s school funding hearing. And catch up on a full Wednesday at the Legislature — including a bevy of new bills on everything from high school graduation requirements to charter school administrators’ credentials.
Statehouse Roundup: 2.5.19: Teach For America seeks share of state funding
In other Statehouse news, more high school seniors are filling out a key application for college financial aid, and lawmakers set a Feb. 18 date to write the K-12 budgets.
Kevin's Blog
Expert analysis and the latest news from award-winning journalist Kevin Richert.
Blaine County disputes Ybarra’s mastery ‘waiting list’
Superintendent GwenCarol Holmes is the third administrator to question the list, which state superintendent Sherri Ybarra has touted in her push to expand Idaho’s mastery pilot.
Report: Funding formula ‘wealth adjustment’ could put more financial pressure on schools
The Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy issued a report Tuesday on the possible outcomes of a “noble goal.”
Superintendent Ybarra’s schedule: Feb. 11-15
Here’s the schedule, as released Monday morning.
More grim budget news: January tax collections fall far short of projections
All told, tax collections for this budget year now sit $128.3 million short of projections. And against this backdrop, lawmakers will begin writing budgets for education and other state agencies.
Voices
Educators, community members and students share their opinions about Idaho education.
Become a guest author.
Why school choice has worked for us
We’re thankful that we had the chance to pick the right school for our needs.
All students deserve access to quality early childhood education programs
Nearly half of Idaho children enter kindergarten unprepared because they have not been given the same opportunities as their peers.