Kevin Richert
Michigan embraces its version of a ’60 percent goal’
Like Idaho — which struggles to make headway on its postsecondary goal — Michigan faces daunting demographic hurdles.
Idaho Opportunity Scholarship: Where the money goes
Students received $39.4 million in the state-funded scholarships from 2008 to 2018. And the students’ college of choice? It’s a close race.
Idaho’s literacy program: a politically popular work in progress
It is “extremely difficult” to measure the success of the 2-year-old program, Boise State University researchers said in a recent report. Still, Gov. Brad Little wants to double the program’s budget, and lawmakers are poised to sign on.
Opportunity Scholarship 101
It’s budget crunch time. Lawmakers are moving money around. What does that mean for college students and young readers? We explain.
CSI working on weekend course program
The “Weekend College Plus” program will be geared toward nontraditional students and Hispanic students, the Twin Falls Times-News reported.
As other states boost pre-K funding, Idaho misses out on share of federal grants
The State Department of Education could not pursue a share of $241 million in federal grants, because it cannot use state dollars as a funding match. Idaho is one of only four states that does not fund pre-K, according to a new study.
Wayne Hoffman’s big disclaimer on public schools
“I don’t think government should be in the education business,” the executive director of the Idaho Freedom Foundation wrote Friday, in a guest opinion that ostensibly weighs in on the school funding formula rewrite.
Rapid fire: JFAC approves $1.9 billion in K-12 school budgets
Budget-writers agreed — unanimously — to put an additional $49 million into the teacher salary career ladder, and double literacy program funding to $26 million. The seven budget bills now go to the House and Senate.
Superintendent Ybarra’s schedule: Feb. 18-22
Heading the schedule: Monday’s legislative budget hearing, as the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee draws up the 2019-20 budget requests for K-12.
Statehouse roundup, 2.15.19: Senate passes turnaround schools bill; rules fight heats up
Sen. Dean Mortimer’s voluntary turnaround bill now heads to the House, where a similar bill stalled out a year ago.