Our public schools are the heart of our communities. We socialize with neighbors at our kids’ basketball games, chat with other parents at drop-off, meet teachers and staff at conferences. We’re friendly here in Idaho; we talk to each other. So, let’s talk about our public education system.
Idahoans consistently rank education as their highest priority. In Boise State’s most recent public policy survey (conducted annually over the past ten years), less than 20% of respondents rated Idaho’s quality of education in their area as poor, with that number shrinking even further when respondents were parents or grandparents who actually have children or grandchildren in the system. Those who are directly impacted are more likely to rate the quality of education as good, fair, or even excellent. The same survey found that over half of Idahoans opposed or strongly opposed using taxpayer dollars to fund private or religious education. The false narrative touted by private school advocates—our schools are broken—isn’t backed by Idaho data.
There’s always room for improvement. Survey respondents also supported increasing teacher salaries and addressing the massive maintenance backlog for school buildings. The pandemic had an impact on our learners, no doubt, but Idaho students still outperform the national average, which have lagged everywhere as families adjusted to new learning tools and learning loss. If we want to improve education, perhaps we could start with priorities identified by parents: salaries and facilities.
Idaho students are making progress. They’re learning. The go-on rate—students enrolling in college immediately after graduation—rose nine percent between 2023 and 2024. Our career-technical education centers (CTEs) continue to grow and expand. Students across the state can now learn trade skills that lead directly to careers. Students can gain skills in fabrication in our CTE programs in Lewiston or ag science in Shelley. Not only do our students have access to great schools with programs to train them for the future, parents have choices when it comes to education.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, ranked Idaho third in the nation for best schools in 2023. There were several factors contributing to that high ranking, but one of the top was bang for your buck. Idaho kids get a good education, and they get it at a bargain due to our hard-working teachers, fiscally responsible administrators, and dedicated, involved parents. We have over 70 charter schools that serve families across the state. Our homeschool community is robust. We have advanced opportunities, Idaho LAUNCH, magnet schools and focus schools.
Ask around in your community: What are the good things happening in our local schools? Join me in sharing the stories of success in our classrooms, the stories about persistence in achievement, the stories about the little things that make a big difference in the lives of our students. Let’s adjust the narrative around public education – we aren’t broken.
