Boise trustee candidates answer our questions

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

Because I care. I care about kids, I care about their families, I care about teachers, I care about Boise, and I know that one of the best ways I can spend my time is helping to improve public education in our community. My connection to Boise Schools is deep. I am a Boise native, graduating from Boise Schools. My wife of 25 years, Jill, graduated from Boise Schools. My four children graduated from Boise Schools. My mother was a junior high teacher in Boise Schools. Even my father-in-law attended Boise Schools. My family has collectively attended Cole Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Whitney Elementary, Owyhee Elementary, West Junior High, Fairmont Junior High, Hillside Junior High, North Junior High, Borah High School, Capital High School, Boise High School and Frank Church High School.

It has been my honor to serve as a Trustee for the Boise School District for the past 7 and a half years, the last two years as Board President. I have been privileged to serve in a district and with a Board that values a comprehensive education for all students. This group cherishes and respects both students and teachers by providing a supportive environment to forge the bonds necessary to learn. We have made significant investments in our teachers, staff, facilities, and programs to provide a safe, high-quality education with the goal of graduating every student prepared for college career and citizenship. I can think of no endeavor in which I invest my time and talent than to improve the future of our community through my service as a Boise School District Trustee.

Greg Woodard:

My wife and I have five kids, including biological, adopted, and foster, all who have been enrolled in the district at some point. After the District's response to the pandemic, I felt that many parents' voices were being ignored, including my own. My son has special needs, including the routine of his school schedule, and when that was taken from him, it had a significant impact on him and our family. Since that time, parent/staff/student choice has been my primary goal. I also support District transparency, which has been lacking, and fiscal responsibility.

Beth Oppenheimer:

I have spent my career advocating for quality education at the local, state and federal level. While I’m not an educator per se, I believe I have a unique perspective and understanding about the education continuum from early childhood through higher ed. I also have a unique perspective of the challenges that families and educators from diverse backgrounds face when it comes to education.

As a parent, an education advocate, a volunteer with various local, state and national education committees, and as a citizen of Boise I believe I add an important lens to the conversation and decisions made by our local school board. I value the education and services my own children have had from the Boise School district, and I want to ensure that families from all backgrounds and students with diverse learning abilities have the opportunity to experience the high level of support and education that meets the needs of all families in Boise. My desire to continue to volunteer my time as a Boise School board trustee, in a time where our public education system is continuously under attack, has never been more important.

Krista Hasler:

I am a mom of four Boise District students in kindergarten-eighth grade. I am running for Trustee in Race #1 because I am concerned about the future of our children and want to help them find the greatest success. Following covid, emotional and mental needs have drastically increased. The social realities in our schools are concerning to me. As a mental health professional, I believe we still have time to intervene and help our students. We can teach them to internalize shared values as well as increase: life skills, interpersonal communication, and emotional intelligence. These skills will significantly impact students long term success and help them better implement what they have learned in their education. Through these efforts I believe we can alter the tone in the learning environment.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

My desire to serve as a Boise School District Trustee is driven by my passion to serve our community. There is no better way to serve Boise than by working with its stakeholders to ensure that the Boise School District produces graduates who possess the tools necessary to be productive citizens and are equipped to go out and make a positive difference in this community and the world.

Communities thrive where schools serve as neighborhood gathering centers, provide a platform for community education and deliver critical gap support services for students and patrons. The success and quality of life in the Boise community depends on the success of the Boise School District.

Matthew Shapiro:

I want to be a trustee of the Boise School District in order to help make civic education a significantly higher priority for the district, and to put my background in education—both inside and outside of the classroom—to use as the District considers a wide range of challenges. By “civic education” I mean educating for active and constructive citizenship, and I believe that we should take a comprehensive and systemic approach to creating a meaningful, hands-on civics program. I believe that leadership for this needs to come from the Board level. I also believe that my emphasis on participatory design and systemic approaches can help strengthen our school district and help our students and patrons thrive into the future.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

I am running to be a Trustee for the Boise School District because we want to see all of our children have the best possible start to their lives. As a father of two children in the BSD, I think there are improvements that could be made that will prepare our students for success. Have a close working relationship with the parents who we as Trustees serve; with the teachers, staff and principals who spend their days educating and caring for our children; with the District Administration who is responsible for making the schools run efficiently; and for the citizens of Boise who partner with us in funding our school system. We need to ensure that input from these groups is not stifled by cumbersome rules or policies that may restrict sharing of ideas and concerns.

Part of working closely with parents is to have complete transparency between the Board and parents so families can understand why decisions are being made, not just being told what the decision is. We can accomplish this through data driven decision making, and “showing our work” just as we ask of our students when factoring polynomials. By explaining and sharing our thinking with one another we can understand our various processes and help find any weak spots or flaws that may exist. This will in turn make sure that even if we don’t agree with a particular choice, we will know that we helped to make it the best possible outcome.

Having spent summers growing up with family in Idaho I was thrilled when the Air Force moved me here for my first assignment as a jet mechanic. Then, after being away for about a decade, I was even more excited when they moved my family to Boise for the second time in my career while flying the F-15E Strike Eagle. I was overjoyed knowing that I would be able to retire where I wanted to live and become a permanent member of the community. We are blessed to live where education is a priority for most families like it is mine. As a Trustee I would like to keep the focus on educating our children with what they need to be successful in life.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

I have an incredibly deep connection to the Boise School District and the community it serves. I attended four different BSD schools prior to graduating from Timberline High, completed my student teaching in the district, and eventually returned to spend six years as a science teacher in Boise Schools (five at Fairmont Jr. High and one at the Boise Online School). In that time, I’ve wanted nothing more than to help young people feel safe, cared for, and capable of reaching their full potential.

A pivotal moment in that work came in 2018, when I tested Fairmont’s drinking water and discovered that students and staff were being exposed to unsafe levels of lead—a discovery that kicked off a massive district-wide response. My ongoing advocacy on this issue led to a multi-year whistleblower retaliation investigation which found in my favor. Orders from OSHA eventually reversed the retaliatory actions that some district administrators had taken against me, but the handling of the situation contributed to my resignation from the BSD in 2021.

Despite this, I remain committed to the promise I made my students: that I would always be there for them. I also know that the Boise School District is blessed with some of the best educators in Idaho. Unfortunately, the accomplishments of these educators are—at times—in spite of our district’s administration rather than because of it. This journey has compelled me to seek a new way of serving the community that I love: pursuing a position on the Board of Trustees.

I intend to leverage my decade of experience as an educator along with the expertise I’ve developed while serving as the Educator Effectiveness Program Manager for the State Board of Education to bring positive leadership to that role. My priorities are to increase transparency in district leadership, empower our education professionals as the experts-in-the-field, advocate for equity and safety in our school facilities, and rely on the best-available research when deciding important issues.

Dawn King:

I am excited to become a member of the Boise School District Board of Trustees and to continue the strong traditions and the excellence in leadership found within this district.  I have been a part of the Boise School District first as a student, as a teacher, as a parent, and as a grandparent. Presently, I have 11 students attending in the Boise District and I am continually impressed with the caliber of teachers my grandchildren are fortunate to have each year. I have always been proud of the school district's role in the community and the support they provide to students and their families.

As a trustee, I would:

• Ensure the standards of excellence and rigor in the curriculum to prepare future generations for tomorrow’s challenges.
• Advocate for a safe and secure environment, addressing mental health issues by adopting sound and proven policies and practices where teaching and learning can be the main priority.
• Build strong relationships between the Boise School District, its students, staff, patrons, and community partners.
• Encourage investment in education and promote teacher retention by working directly with the Idaho State Legislators to increase support and funding for education.

Elizabeth Langley:

The last two years of service as Trustee has been a profound experience, supporting our community of educators, children and families. Being a Trustee is much more complex than having a few talking points. It is setting the strategy for a huge organization over time in a way that will affect the very fabric of our society. I want to assure that we continue to have a high-performing district where students are safe and are prepared for success in whatever is next, be it career, college or service of another type.

Todd Kurowski:

I’m a primary customer (a parent) of BSD with one child at Hillside Jr. High and another who graduated early from Boise High. If I want to improve our schools I need to walk the talk by getting involved.
I like being of service to my community and running for trustee strikes me as the right thing to do right now.

There are many rumors about our schools and district level happenings. If elected I can find out first hand what’s going on and share the facts as well as focusing on fixing those core challenges that maybe found.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

Boise Schools made me. My teachers taught me the power of knowledge. My coaches showed me that hard work pays off. My peers demonstrated that we can all rise together. I believe that students deserve a voice in their education, and that's why I'm honored to enter the race to be the first student on the Boise School District Board of Trustees.

It's time that our district listens to students. We deserve to have our input considered when making decisions on how to run our schools. We deserve action on issues that are important to today's youth such as sustainability and the student mental health crisis. As a member of student government, as a club president, as a constituent of the Board of Trustees, I have listened to students', parents', and educators' concerns. Now, I hope to have the opportunity to take action, and I have faith that we can find consensus around these issues.

The best decisions are made when all stakeholders are included. Students have a lot to bring to the table, and I will bring new and diverse perspectives to the board. I’ve been a youth advocate throughout my high school career, and I know the power of representation and empowerment. We can act on the mental health crisis in schools. We can save millions of dollars by investing in energy efficiency and sustainability. We can make all students feel welcome and included in our community. My platform includes hiring more school counselors and mental health support staff, moving secondary schools to later start times, taking climate action head on districtwide, and defending teacher freedom in and out of the classroom. I’m confident that I can work with fellow trustees to support our students and maintain a balanced budget, and I’m excited to be in this race.

Steve Schmidt:

I want to continue serving as a Trustee to help the Boise School District Board make rational, well-informed decisions that support students and those who help them learn.

My engineering career has honed my ability to think logically and rationally while weighing competing interests. It has also taught me the value of having a broad perspective. As a result, I actively seek out views different from my own with a willingness to listen and discuss. These skills make me well equipped to serve as a Trustee.

Moreover, I am a father of 2 students in the district and Boise is our home. I have a vested interest in the success of this district and the students that are educated in it. These motivate me to apply my skills and abilities to continue serving as a Trustee.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

The biggest challenge facing our district is effective and continual communication with all stakeholders.

1. Communications to students including curriculum offerings (AVID, Advanced Placement, Career Technical Education, Treasure Valley Math and Science and more), mental health services, college and career counseling, music, art, athletics, clubs, community school services and many more. Communications from students including feedback on policy, board operations, school activities and educational offerings.
2. Facilitating the improved involvement of families by increasing the effectiveness of our communication processes. Parents and guardians need to understand all the programs and many support services that are available in our school district. The district needs to continue to focus on improving the opportunities for listening to communications from parents and guardians to inform teachers, administrators and the board of trustees of their wants and needs.
3. Communications with teachers and staff. Listening to teachers’ and staff’s needs aellows the Administration and Board to provide them with the best environment to connect with students, helping teachers to propel each student to their highest potential. We must provide the ongoing training to teachers and staff that is essential to give each student the best education possible. We also must celebrate our teachers and staff and the tremendous impact they have in our community.
4. Communications with the community are essential to explain the value that Boise School District provides to our community. Boise Schools are one of our community's treasures and biggest selling points, just ask the realtors and large employers that deal with folks that are considering Boise for their home. Every one of these people will want to know if the Boise has good schools. With the Boise School District in our community, that is an easy “Yes” answer. We can always improve our communications on how our schools add value to our community, as well as adjusting our organization based on new community needs. This communication with the community must include the transparency and accountability essential to maintaining trust in our organization, an area that we must continually focus on.

Greg Woodard:

Lack of trust by parents, driven by the current Board's lack of transparency. An elected Board should have parent choice as its primary focus as parents are primarily responsible for their kids' education decisions. During the pandemic, the current Board made decisions that ignored many parents' voices. The Board has made critical decisions with little to no parent input and sometimes during "emergency" meetings with little to no notice to parents. The Board has made it difficult to determine how it is making its decisions and it has denied parents the important right to make public comments at Board meetings for months on end. The District has lost thousands of students in the past several years. While Covid is undoubtedly a major factor in the loss of students, many of those students have not returned since in-person school has resumed, and I believe the lack of transparency from the Board is a major factor in that loss.

Beth Oppenheimer:

One of the biggest challenges facing our district is to ensure that students are engaged in learning and that we continue to offer a wide range of educational opportunities for students with differing learning abilities. I will continue to support investments and the expansion of programs and activities that meet the needs of how, when and where students learn best. Investments such as expanded early learning opportunities, community schools, Montessori, AP, AVID, Career Technical Education, on-line learning, special education, and extracurricular programs are just a sample of the variety of educational opportunities that make our district thrive and allow us to meet the needs of all students.

Krista Hasler:

I think one of the biggest challenges facing the Boise District is the social environment and education our children are experiencing and growing up in. The physical and social environment has an important influence on ones health and wellbeing, Think back to your education. What was the social environment and expectation in school? What was allowed and not allowed in a classroom? What occurred when students were disrespectful to teachers? What were common expectations in regards to how one treated their peers? Today we are seeing a drastic shift in the social education and expectations for the students. Teachers often feel they don’t have authority to hold boundaries with students for inappropriate conduct or language in the classroom. Many new challenges including time on devices and direct connection to social media are present daily within schools and in classrooms.

Our children need a social environment where they learn how to respect authority, interact respectfully with peers, and learn how to express and communicate their needs in respectful ways. Students need less time on devices and more time in environments that share culturally responsive and appropriate behaviors. School leaders need to feel supported and know that when holding students to high expectations, they will be supported regardless of who the student is. All staff need to be held to the same standard and expectation. Consistency, structure, expectations, and rules help students learn how to achieve and interact and prepare them for college and career. Mutual respect in the teacher-student relationship is a significant contributor to student’s success. This is not an agenda of the left or the right, but an agenda of humanity and raising up the next generation to be the future leaders and citizens of this country. I strongly believe that as we improve the social environment and education our children are receiving and experiencing, all other outcomes including student enrollment and student achievement will improve.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

The Boise School District is currently facing several challenges. In my mind, the greatest challenge is to improve stakeholder engagement which is a critical component in the ongoing success of the Boise School District. The Board’s unanimous adoption of a resolution providing for the implementation of a Board Student Advisory Committee is an excellent example of how the Board can improve stakeholder engagement and the Board should explore other avenues to accomplish this goal

Matthew Shapiro:

I see a wide range of challenges, but for the near term, the following three seem to be the most urgent:

• Staffing Shortages: This seems to be due to a combination of retirements, salaries and related rising cost of living, and perhaps perception of (lack of) community support. This is obviously a complex issue, and I don’t purport to have a comprehensive strategy ready to go. I would explore the relative weight of the various reasons driving shortages, to gain the most useful picture, and then seek to identify a range of solutions, pursuing those that are most viable. Looking at what other districts around the state and country have done could be quite valuable in that regard as well. Ensuring that we treat all staff—both certified and classified—as valued team members, and backing that up with competitive salaries, benefits, and professional support will be essential parts of the solution.
• Student Mental Health: This issue has become more visible recently. It is my impression that school counselors do a great job, but they certainly can’t handle it all themselves. It’s a much bigger issue. Ultimately, it goes back to ensuring that their basic needs for a sense of safety, belonging and significance, relationship, and self-determination are met. Open communication with parents, support tools for parents, ways of showing students that they are cared for (by other students, by family, and by school staff) will be essential in order for us to be proactive. The issue should be explored systemically and holistically, as with any issue.
• Enrollment Declines: Declines in enrollment directly affect funding, so are an important recent issue. We ultimately may not ever see the kind of growth in enrollment that other districts are seeing, but we should at least stabilize our numbers so they don’t cause any decline in services. The decline over the past two years is likely due in some part to forces beyond the control of the District, such as housing affordability. A campaign to halt and reverse the decline in enrollment should focus on the outstanding educational experience in Boise (both academic and extracurricular) and the benefits of the diversity of our student body. We should also consider how we can be continually evolving in our educational design and offerings to maximize the advantages we can offer over homeschooling, charters, and other sources of “competition” for enrollment.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

Taking care of our teachers to ensure they have what they need to teach our children is critical, especially after the pandemic. Through the hard work and dedication of our teachers, our students continue to have great success both in and out of the classroom. With the declining enrollments in the district, the budget will require more scrutiny to determine how best to use the resources available. We need to maximize dollars to best support our students and staff and provide a quality education that families and teachers will choose to stay for

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

Much of my work at the State Board of Education focused on analyzing Idaho’s educator pipeline. Although the Boise School District has historically avoided the worst of our state’s staffing shortages, my research indicated that one of the most pressing issues facing the BSD in the next few years may be the same as every other district in Idaho: Attracting and retaining quality educators.

At the local level, two of the best methods for addressing this issue are providing quality mentoring programs and establishing an educator-driven professional development policy. Although the BSD currently has a more robust new-teacher mentoring program than many other districts in Idaho, it is still an area ripe for improvement (and we are far from meeting the State Board’s approved mentoring standards). Additionally, many of the district’s largest professional development opportunities come across as top-down and tend to feel isolated from one another. Research shows that districts have better retention rates when they provide autonomy and resources for educators to develop their own long-term professional development pathways. As a trustee, I would seek opportunities for improvement on both these fronts.

The issue of educator retention is also driven by another pressing matter facing the district: the erosion of community perceptions of our public schools and educators. This is best addressed by embracing increased transparency among district leadership and actively modeling a culture of professional trust towards our educators in the field. Misinformation grows best in places where the truth is hard to find, so we must be proactive in making district-level decision making more inclusive and accessible to community stakeholders. Additionally, administrators often focus on top-down management and accountability measures for school staff that would be offensive to professionals in other fields. This delegitimizes the professionalism of our educators and bleeds out into the impressions that students and families take away from our schools. Countering this insular leadership culture should be a priority for the Board of Trustees.

Dawn King:

One of the biggest challenges facing the Boise School district is teacher retention. Teachers in the state of Idaho are underpaid for the level of education they have completed. The average pay for professionals with a Master’s degree in Idaho is approximately $95,000 dollars per year. Educators with a Master’s Degree in the state of Idaho make considerably less than jobs outside the education field. This pay gap causes educational professionals to leave their field for higher pay in other professions. Underfunding education by the legislators has led to Idaho being 49th in per-student spending. This creates an issue as far as overcrowding schools, class size, and teachers paying for classroom supplies out of pocket. This places higher demands on teachers' time to fulfill many different roles. The Boise School District Board should address this problem by working with the legislature to increase funding to standardize the student- to-teacher ratios in full-time positions. Class sizes should be uniform in size throughout the district and throughout the curriculum.

Elizabeth Langley:

Our district must continue to grow in transparency, thoughtfully encouraging feedback from all stakeholders and developing policies that provide for all. Additionally, we must continue the work of advocating for a free and public education system that is available to every kid.

Todd Kurowski:

Removing some bureaucratic barriers that prevents parents and the community from effectively experiencing and participating at the policy level of the Boise School District (BSD).

I can respect that trustee’s are representatives of the people/customers in the context of managing our schools, yet something is very off here too. Who’s interest are the trustees in practice representing? Often it appears that the parents are the least valued customer. I may be wrong on this, if I am I will be accountable and admit it.

Simplifying our teachers ancillary work loads such that they can spend more time teaching

Status quo often appears to be a norm vs the exception. I’ve experience this perspective from several parents and teachers throughout the BSD. Those who resist this behavior are often effectively silenced or forced out.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

The biggest challenge currently facing our schools is the student mental health crisis. This is an issue that has affected me personally, and I believe that we have a responsibility to make sure that everyone feels safe, welcome, and loved in their school community. At Boise High, our student-to-counselor ratio is over 150% of the recommended ratio. Because of this, students at my school are not receiving the support they need and deserve. The board should allocate funds hire more school counselors and mental health professionals and provide professional development opportunities for teachers to incorporate mental health curriculum into their lesson plans. Initiating a plan to transition our schools to later start times can also ease the burden on student mental health. This issue must be destigmatized in and out of the classroom and we need leaders at all levels of education in order to achieve that.

Steve Schmidt:

Our biggest challenge is improving our students’ achievement.

The board should address this and other challenges consistent with Idaho State Code and the Board Policy Manual. This includes following the Board Commitment (policy 1125) and Board Code of Ethics (policy 1126). In performing its oversight role of the district, in this specific case, the board should:

• Monitor student achievement
• Work with the Superintendent. This includes: understanding the District’s goals for improvement; how improvement will be measured; what areas of emphasis are being targeted to improve; and timeline for demonstrating improvement. Board concerns, observations, and suggestions are provided in these discussions.
• Ensure policies that guide District operations support the needed improvements. Work with administration to refine policies as appropriate.
• Ensure the budget reflects the District priorities and supports the needed improvements. Work with administration to refine policies as appropriate.
• Ensure regular evaluation of the Superintendent’s performance includes discussion of the goals, timeline and progress to meeting them

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

I support the decisions made by the Boise School Board. We have a very thoughtful Board, with varying skill sets, opinions, and backgrounds; also with the willingness to factor in opinions different than our own, as well as reaching out for advice to experts in various fields affecting our schools.  Communication, transparency, and accountability are all areas that require following a process of continuous improvement to ensure that we are adjusting to the needs of all our stakeholders.

Greg Woodard:

I believe the Board made the initial switch from in-person to virtual learning as seamless as possible given the unprecedented interruption in learning due to Covid. Unfortunately, those early positive steps were quickly undone by the lengthy delay in getting our students back to in-person learning. Neighboring school districts (including one much larger than us) were back to hybrid and full in- person learning before our District. Moreover, the Board made its initial decision to make masks optional at a regularly-noticed meeting and was supported by nearly half of the District parents. The Board then suddenly reversed its decision and re-instated the mask mandate at an "emergency" meeting just two weeks later with little to no notice to parents. Other recent Board decisions suffered from the same lack of transparency. The Board approved all-day kindergarten and virtually eliminated half-day kindergarten with no parent involvement. The Board also recently brought an unacceptable proposal to dramatically change its dress code policy, also without parent involvement. Fortunately, the parent outcry forced the Board to send the proposed changes back to staff in light of the parents' objections. Recently, the Board did create a new committee that invites District students to learn the district’s day-to-day workings, including important policies. I fully support that committee and its outreach to District students. The key component missing from most or all of these decisions is a lack of parent involvement. Emails to parents, parent surveys, open meetings, recording workshops, and workshops focused primarily on parent input on proposed major policy decisions would have gone a long way to instilling confidence in the Board, even with those decisions that parents disagree with.

Beth Oppenheimer:

As a board, we make several decisions at every meeting. Considering the recent increase of many different viewpoints on various topics, we do our best to make thoughtful and data-informed decisions. At the end of the day, we look to our strategic plan and ask ourselves ‘What is best for students?’, and do our decisions move us towards our mission which is ‘Educating Today for a Better Tomorrow’? One example of a recent decision was to invest in free, full-day kindergarten for all families. As someone who has advocated for expanded early learning opportunities across the state, I was proud to cast my vote in favor of this proposal. One area that I believe we can improve on is that when decisions are made, we could provide more context for why and how these decisions are made. During our public workshops, we have deep, thoughtful, and lengthy conversations about the pros and cons of many of the decisions we ultimately make at our board meetings.

Krista Hasler:

In all fairness I think the Trustees were placed in an impossible situation and it is much easier on the back end of it all to say what should have gone differently in regards to decisions made through covid.

One concern I had was the “united” voice I heard echoed again and again throughout a very difficult time while research and needs were presented from multiple lenses. Conflict is avoided by many because it creates a fair amount of discomfort or uncertainty but when making decisions that have a major impact on students and the lives of people, it is essential to engage in difficult conversations and listen with the intent to understand as to make policies and decisions in the best interest of all students. In my opinion, the board made a united decision again and again. While at first with so much uncertainty working together was so important, now it has become trend that is concerning to me.

Students being on screens for the entire day has significantly impacted the midbrain and addictive patterns in children and youth. It is recommended to be on screens for 2 hours or less a day and there is science behind that. Our students were on for 6-8 hours daily. Is it a wonder that depression, anxiety, and addiction have all increased following the isolation and extreme screen time through covid? Why, with the research and feedback and stories being shared both locally and nationally did our district avoid this piece of research and information for so long? We can’t go back, as we go forward we have to take into account the data that we have now and what we have learned from the past. Students need to be in school for their mental and physical well being. Parents are the responsible for decisions regarding the health and well being of their children and the district has a responsibility to partner with parents.

More recently Big decisions have been made regarding our students and parents and staff have not been consulted or included in the process. Examples from the last few months include:

1. a) full day Kindergarten district wide,
2. b) removal of uniforms from two Jr. Highs,
3. c) a secondary classroom dress code that said students could remain at school as long as their “nipples, groin, and buttocks” were covered. In the case of the classroom dress code, parents’ concerns and involvement led the BSD Trustee Board to “table the dress code” because the Trustees acknowledged they had probably not involved the community enough. This dress code policy is not in the best interest of our students and will not advance BSD’s primary mission: to prepare students for college, career, and citizenship.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

Sitting as a Trustee during these recent decisions, my assessment is that Boise School Board made well informed decisions. At times, the Board was given the difficult task to make decisions on issues where community members had opposite and passionate viewpoints on a matter, particularly in dealing with COVID policies. During this time, it was simply impossible for the Board to make a decision that would satisfy all patrons. Nonetheless, tough decisions had to be made. These decisions were data-driven, thoughtful and deliberate, guided by the Boise School District Strategic Plan and took into careful consideration the different perspective expressed by patrons. Of course, like all impactful decisions, there will always be no shortage of opinion of what should have been done different through the benefit and luxury of 20/20 hindsight. However, in some cases, I felt the public simply misunderstood the reasoning or thought process behind Board decisions. Accordingly, increasing stakeholder engagement and improving how the Board communicates the “whys” and “hows” behind Board decisions can help reduce such misunderstandings in the future

Matthew Shapiro:

I hesitate to second-guess those immersed in the decision-making. With the occasional exception that might be related to a decision of outstanding vision or courage (positive) or, at the other end of the spectrum, something egregious or negligent, it’s difficult to evaluate their decisions without being in their shoes. That said, I support most of the decisions that I’m aware of that the board has recently made, some of which are described below. I also mention one decision that I did not agree with.

I do think that as a parent of a student in the age of Covid, I think the trustees carried out a difficult balancing act between public health, staff and parent interests, and concerns about students and acted nimbly in the timing and offering of options (e.g., in-person, online, hybrid, etc.). I don’t think I would have chosen differently with regard to Covid policies.

The recent decision to create a policy for a student advisory committee is, I think, a good step, although it seems like something that should have been done a long time ago. I also think we can do far more to engage students at every level in reflecting upon and advising on policies and decisions—what a great opportunity for civic education. But it has to be done meaningfully and authentically (or else it’s only “for show”), and if the sense of participation doesn’t reach the vast majority of students, its benefits will be limited.

I also support the Board’s opposition to vouchers and tax credits, as well as the decision to offer free, all-day kindergarten at all of the elementary schools.

One decision that I didn’t agree with related to the fall 2021 process of selecting a candidate to fill a vacancy on the board. Following the resignation of a trustee, the board solicited applications for appointees. Nine applied – among them a high school senior who appeared, from new stories, to be a very involved student and interesting candidate. The board selected three to interview, and their list did not include the student. Given the novelty and the case for having a student on the board, as well as her qualifications, I was surprised to see that she was not selected for the shortlist, and I felt that she should at least have been interviewed for the final selection round.

Rather than weigh in on past board decisions, I think it more useful to say how I might approach decisions. I listen. I like to do research, gather information, present options, and be transparent about the reasons for things. I like to act not on impulse or mere “majority rule” but rather to see what common ground can emerge, what creativity and “win-win” solutions can result from integrating multiple perspectives. Not everyone will always be happy with a decision, but more people can be, and for those who don’t agree, they should at least have felt heard and respected. Foreclosing too quickly on a decision without listening, gathering, integrating is a common and classically poor approach to leadership and decision making in public affairs. This is also something that I hope our students can learn through an improved civic education program, which is a centerpiece of my campaign.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

The long overdue formation of a Student Advisory Committee was a great decision. Many local cities have well established Advisory committees for students, and they also have non-voting positions on their regular Boards and Commissions for students. I hope that the Board will continue to seek direct input from our students. (The timing of this proposal during election season is questionable.) As for doing something differently, I would like to bring a healthy debate amongst the Trustees when making decisions and not just a string of unanimous votes, with no explanation to the constituents.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

One decision for which I commend the current Board is their support for a Student Advisory Committee. Students are our most-direct stakeholders and spend more time in school than anyone other than our educators. Even though most are not legal adults, students often have tremendous insight into how our district can be improved. That said, it remains to be seen if the Board will truly give this committee and its recommendations the consideration they deserve. Historically student feedback has been undervalued even when it has technically been “heard”.

This highlights one of my greatest criticisms of the Boise School Board and district administration as they stand: An apparent lack of stakeholder accessibility and transparency in decision-making. Even when considering actions that I largely support (such as research-based changes to the district grading policy or adjustments to make the dress code more equitable), I often find it hard to support the process itself. In general, the district office seems to operate as a “black box”, where directives come down to our schools without staff and families feeling fully informed or involved.

As a BSD teacher, I saw firsthand that stakeholder surveys were often cherry-picked to support predetermined decisions. I’ve also witnessed staff raise serious concerns and get no meaningful response back from district leadership. Actions like this undermine trust in the system and make it more difficult for the community to come together after decisions are made on controversial topics. It is impossible to make everyone happy, but far more work needs to be done to ensure that the decision-making process itself is open, fair, and responsive to feedback.

Finally, although I believe the Board was right to treat the COVID-19 pandemic as a serious issue, some of the specific precautions have felt more motivated by politics rather than medical research. Even after it was known that COVID was largely spread by aerosol rather than surface contact, many of the efforts focused on things like sneeze guards, hand-sanitizer, and surface cleaning. These things make a good show of “doing something,” but are not terribly effective in an enclosed space. Meanwhile, issues like HVAC filtration and air-handling were not given adequate attention (despite some staff and parents raising those concerns). There may have been more room for flexibility in the most contentious COVID protocols had the Boise School Board prioritized the poor air-handling in many of our school facilities. Unfortunately, the lack of such a proactive measure left strict masking and remote learning as the only viable ways to mitigate aerosol transmission, leading to substantial community conflict.

Dawn King:

The current Boise School Board of Education did a good job guiding us through the challenges of the pandemic and the toll it took on our students, schools, and community. Another decision made by the school board was to relax the dress code to allow all students access and reduce the time missed out of class. I also support moving forward in the implementation of learning coaches to help new teachers and teachers struggling in the profession. However, I feel that having a reading coach and a math coach working directly with students is essential in improving student achievement. To assess whether or not these decisions are effective, feedback and reflection by coaches, staff, and administrators will be reviewed by the Board of Education. Based on student progress we can collectively determine whether or not these practices are effective for our students.

As an educator in the Boise School District for 30+ years, often times I was not aware of board decisions. One way I feel the board can improve would be to bridge the communication gap from the school board to the classroom. To communicate from the classroom to the school board, we could use an outside survey system for teachers to directly communicate concerns or voice opinions without fear of retaliation. This may increase the quality of feedback and quantity of feedback the board receives in regards to the functioning of staff. To improve communication from the board to the classroom, the board could send out information as needed to all district buildings.

Elizabeth Langley:

I am proud of the way we made data and expert driven decisions to navigate unprecedented times. I think it is clear that we need to increase transparency around how our processes work, making sure all parties are involved in the committees and feedback periods that are available.

Todd Kurowski:

The recent dress code matter I find very interesting. It looks like it took a grass roots movement of disenfranchised parents to get the message across to the BSD that more dress code structure is better than less structure.

If any organization drifts out of touch with its primary customers there are natural consequences. Loss of market share or even bankruptcy (see Sears or K-Mart).

Again it appears that BSD has a problem with listening and respecting their primary customers from a strategic level. It may also be distracted by external stakeholders who attempt to steer the organization with little regard for their primary customers. This may or may not be true, let’s find out.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

I support the way the Board has handled the Covid-19 pandemic in following CDC recommendations including masking to get students in schools and keep Boise families safe. I am incredibly thankful that the district has moved to ensure all students have access to free full-day kindergarten. I also support the Board's commitment to a balanced budget and a community-driven process to make school infrastructure improvements.

My biggest frustration with the Boise Schools Board is the disregard of student voices. I worked on a district-wide sustainability initiative with students from all four BSD quads. Over the course of a year, we reached out countless times to our elected board members asking only for a meeting. We rarely received a response, and we did not receive a meeting until our initiative earned media attention and public pressure. Students deserve to have a say in our education. Many other large districts across the country have students on the school board. We deserve to be treated as constituents of the BSD Board. As the first student member of the Board, I will not only pave the way for continued student involvement on the school board; I will never turn down a meeting with students, and I will seek out opportunities to engage with students of all perspectives.

Steve Schmidt:

Always keeping the students’ best interest as the intention behind their decisions. Also, listening to a multitude of input from across the spectrum of district patrons and considering it in their decisions. These are both things I have experienced the Trustees getting right.

I think we should have communicated better so the public understood more of the work that went on behind the scenes and the reasoning that went into the decisions we made. I plan to do better at this and help drive the board in this also.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

I can only speak to our district results, and not other district's, since this question does not give the information necessary to make comparisons. We are offering full time kindergarten to all students and families for the first time this fall. Other districts had full time kindergarten already. Considering the last two years of challenges, I am proud that we found ways to continue to grow our kindergarteners' reading at grade level. I can hardly wait to see the increase in our readers at grade level in the future, as the result of our investments in full time kindergarten and increased educational training for our teachers.

Greg Woodard:

Admittedly, I am not sure why the District's kindergartners' reading level is increasing at such a low level. I know the Board feels that going to full day kindergarten will help increase those levels. I support the Board's decision, subject to the fact that it eliminated another important option (half-day) for many parents without their input or comments. While waiting for data on the change to full day kindergarten, I would continue to allocate District resources to our kindergarten classes with input from teachers who are in the best position to determine what is working and what is not working in their classes.

Beth Oppenheimer:

Increased growth in any area of academic achievement should always be celebrated. Especially during a time where families are struggling with many aspects of balancing work and caring for and supporting young children. It’s important to note that reading scores are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the growth and development of our youngest children. One example is to provide our children with social-emotional support which will support the long-term success of our students. As I’ve said many times before, “we are not going to flashcard our way out of this,” and by providing age appropriate curriculum and the other supports they need, our students will be on a better path toward success in the long run. In addition, when looking at data and comparing one district to another, it’s important to recognize that many factors such as the percentage of students experiencing homelessness, poverty, trauma, free/reduced lunch, and English language learners make a tremendous impact on outcomes. We should be just as concerned with supporting the whole child (and their family) as we are with individual snippets of data. We are excited to see what this upcoming school year brings with our investment in full-day kindergarten which will help continue our advancements in reading, social-emotional development and other factors that impact our youngest students and ultimately their long-term success.

Krista Hasler:

According to the Similar District’s Explorer tool, this is not a new problem. In 2019, BSD IRI growth was around 9.5%, the lowest of comparable districts, and Bonneville was the highest at 24%.

The fact that the Boise School District both currently and over the past several years are significantly behind other schools and thestate average as a whole when it comes to our early reading scores is concerning. I am certain that surrounding schools do not have “better staff” or “better students and families.” The above data is a significant deficit as compared to like schools and all of the kids are taking the same assessment, therefore we are comparing apples to apples. While I don’t believe that any one assessment delivers a full snapshot of a kids success, we at minimum should be holding up to the state average and as a parent and future board member I believe we can and should be leading the schools in our state when it comes to achievement both in growth and overall proficiency.

It is apparent we are not leading in the area and this should be a priority area for the district. I am hopeful that full day kindergarten will help improve our scores, as research has shown it to be a successful contributor.

As a mental health professional I personally see value and want to personalize education for all students.. Students need more opportunities to work at the level that works for them to close achievement gaps but also deserve grade level content and instruction. Teachers need to have resources and feel empowered.

If elected Trustee I will communicate with our local stakeholders to gather input while also taking time to go to those large districts that are finding more success and ask “what’s working?” I will be committed to consider some of the other barriers that may be unique to our district that may impact these overall outcomes that are not in the District’s control and do my best to be supportive of creating a transparent and consistent plan that is in the best interest of kids.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

The Boise School District is fully committed to improving learning at all levels and Boise Schools and its students and teachers consistently hit high marks (please see answer to No. 7 below).  No doubt, COVID had an impact on student learning, particularly in the grade schools of the Boise School District. That said, teachers, students and parents did an amazing job to ensure every effort was made that students had an opportunity to learn and grow during pandemic conditions and we all applaud them for their commitment and resiliency.  It should also be noted that a majority of Idaho School Districts have full day Kindergarten, and the statistics are clear that full-day kindergarten students historically perform better. That’s why I supported and voted for the expansion of full-day kindergarten for Boise schools—which will improve kindergarten performance in the future and is an example of the many efforts the District has made to improve learning district-wide.

Matthew Shapiro:

As a school board member, I would find these figures interesting but take with a grain of salt. First, it’s important to carefully analyze data in order to glean accurate and meaningful conclusions from it. For example, in looking at the kindergarten composite IRI results (Tier 1), it looks like the statewide average went from 40.8% to 64.8% - indeed a significant increase. Boise District ended up at a similar figure, 64.1%. However, Boise started at a significantly higher Fall figure of 54.7%. So there may have been less room for dramatic growth.

To get another angle, looking at the Grade 1 figures, the State average went from 59.5% composite Tier 1 in Spring 2021 to 46% in Fall 2021 to 63.8% in Spring 2022. BSD went from  61% to 51.9% to 65.4%. So BSD began and ended with similar figures (actually higher at the end), but dropped a lot less from Spring 2021 to Fall 2021. One possible conclusion from these figures is that there has been less “summer learning loss” in the Boise school district, which is a good thing (and perhaps suggests looking at how other districts might reduce that figure).

I think it’s also important to keep in mind the factors that can affect test scores. Boise serves a lower average income population, and a more diverse population, than some neighboring districts, and there is a correlation between income and other demographic figures with test scores. It is my impression that when viewed holistically, Boise has done quite well compared with other districts.

All of that said, I think it’s important to keep test scores in perspective. They are not the be-all, end-all, and as a school board member, I will be more concerned with the holistic picture of how our kids are doing, the level of true understanding and inquiry and depth of their learning, their love for learning (including their lifelong enjoyment and comprehension of reading) in the long run.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

The BSD seems to be losing ground with "average" students. There are resources (though not enough) for those "below average" and for those "above average", but in all grade levels we need to make sure that our average students are being taught at grade level, not to the lowest denominator. Also, our teachers need more classroom help and/or smaller class sizes.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

am someone who loves data, but it is impossible to draw meaningful conclusions (or develop smart policies) without understanding the full context behind individual data points. The fact that Boise Schools lagged the state average for of growth in kindergarteners reading at grade level is a serious cause for concern. However, a deeper dive into the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) dataset reveals that the underlying reasons are likely more complicated than it appears at first glance.

When you break the data out by individual school, some BSD schools show growth over the state average while others are drastically below it. This large discrepancy between schools in our district makes it unlikely that a single district-wide factor or policy is dragging down kindergarten reading improvement (otherwise the low rate would be more uniform).

Additionally, there are lots of variables at play that make any direct district-to-district or district-to-state comparisons more challenging. Boise is very different from the rest of the state in terms of socioeconomic context and demographics. Even individual schools within Boise are dramatically different from one another in terms of the students served and the non-school factors at play in the community. Unless these factors are taken into consideration, meaningful comparisons of datapoints are impossible. With just the stats mentioned in the question, we can’t tell if there is a major problem in some area of the Boise School District’s literacy program or if the differences in performance can be entirely explained by differences in non-school context and demographics.

As a Trustee, I would push for district staff to perform a deep statistical analysis of our IRI data to try and tease out the factors causing some of our schools to perform well below the state average while others flourish. It may be that we are doing a better job of meeting the needs of some schools or demographic subgroups in our community than others. If so, that inequity must be addressed. However, we will never know unless we put in the work to look.

Dawn King:

Working as a reading coach for many years I observed firsthand the lack of reading readiness of entering kindergarten students. The first challenge Boise Schools faced was part-time kindergarten with students receiving two hours or less of direct instruction in math and reading. The Boise School District made the decision to fund full-time kindergarten and this additional instructional time will directly increase the percentage of students scoring proficient in reading as well as math. Each kindergarten class should have additional support during the reading block to cut down on the number of students being served by each adult. When comparing the percentage increase of other Idaho districts, our improvements directly reflect the amount of time spent reading in the classroom setting.

Elizabeth Langley:

We will continue to invest in early childhood learning. Our expansion of full-day kindergarten to every school in the district is a great example of our commitment to our youngest learners. Additionally, we are rolling out strategic education tools through a series of learning summits that have occurred this summer to continue to be best in class, and continue to demonstrate the excellence that has been the Boise School District. When we see a problem we invest in a solution.

Todd Kurowski:

As an outsider to the BSD I can speculate and guess why, but asking better questions and analysis would serve here.

If our kindergartners are falling behind in reading then it follows that those kids are not getting enough or effective reading experiences either at school and or at their homes.

If so, what is getting in the way getting those kids the time and exposure they need to fully achieve?

What are the demographics of all the kindergartners? Are there more specific trends to be focused on? Are some schools better than others? Are the statistics skewed?

What’s the rest of the story here?

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

The Board has already taken some positive steps towards growing kindergarten literacy: expanding full-day kindergarten access to all families for free is huge for our community. Now, we must engage in public outreach to highlight the benefits of full-day kindergarten and grow enrollment. We must also seek out opportunities to retain our amazing teachers with competitive salaries and hire more literacy specialists to work with students in low student-teacher ratios. For these purposes, the Quality Education Act will be game- changing.

Steve Schmidt:

Although percentage increases can be useful statistics, I believe this question is a little misleading. Rather than looking at increases, we should be considering the actual percentage of kindergarteners reading at grade level.

Specifically, over 64% of Boise’s kindergarteners were at grade level by the end of the school year according to the composite IRI score data for Spring 2022. This is higher than the state average and comparable to the average of the largest districts. So, the smaller increase by Boise’s kindergarteners indicates that a larger percentage started the school year reading at grade level when compared to other districts.

Despite the challenges the last 2 years have presented, our students, teachers, and parents have done such a good job that more than 80% of our kindergarteners were reading at or near grade level by the end of the year. Now, we will work to improve this. Our expansion of full-day kindergarten is a great example of one step we’re taking to do that.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

I would love the Boise School District to have a higher graduation rate. We need to keep working to provide each child and family with the best resources possible to improve their ability to graduate. The best way to improve the graduation rate is to have a caring adult, involved with each student, who understands what it takes for that individual student to graduate. Our investments in counselors and teachers will help to improve the odds that each student has that person who is invested in their future and helping them to graduate.

Greg Woodard:

The obvious answer is no, though I recognize that 100% is not achievable given the size of our district. Again, we need to get input from the teachers as to what curriculum, methods, and materials are working and what are not. If it needs to be done on a school-to- school basis, I believe we need to invest our financial and other resources at whatever level is necessary to give the teachers the tools they need to educate and the students the tools they need to learn.

Beth Oppenheimer:

I believe our graduation rates should be celebrated and it’s important to focus on the fact that what we are doing works well for the vast majority of our students. That being said, we can always look for ways to improve, keep our students engaged and continue to expand opportunities that meet the needs of each individual student. I do not believe that our education system should be a “one size fits all” approach, nor should we treat all students the same. Continuing to expand and offer our students nontraditional programs such as technical education, support for English language learners, community school support and courses through the Frank Church high school will help the overall success of our students throughout the district.

Krista Hasler:

Through 2021 students had a very unusual year and our district handled covid differently than most districts state-wide. I think that needs to be factored in. I would like to know what our graduation rate was for 2022. According to Idaho Similar Districts Explorer, BSD’s graduation rate was 81% in 2019 compared to 87% for West Ada and nearly 90% for Pocatello so this isn’t a new problem.

I believe that every student should graduate who has the desire to make it happen. I would like to increase students motivated to graduate to 100% because they understand why graduation helps them in their futures. Again what is our root cause of students not graduating and is there a downward trend? My objectives are to make schools a place where students want to be by increasing forward thinking and hands-on learning. Students will be more engaged and want to find their strengths and long term goals in the process so they find purpose in graduation and a path beyond.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

The Boise School District’s success in providing a high quality-education to its students is well documented (see response to Question 7 below). That said, Boise Schools should always strive to improve its graduation rate even if that rate is 99%.

In my opinion, the ability to accomplish high graduation rates will depend on a public school’s ability to provide its students a comprehensive education and to successfully connect and engage with its at-risk and minority students. The Boise School District does do a good job in providing students access to a comprehensive curriculum. For example, the District provides, music for ALL elementary students, 100+ STEM course are available to junior and senior high students and 17 technical programs are offered at Dennis Technical Education Center. One of the District’s priorities is to provide support for at-risk and minority students and families. For example, the District provides extensive special education support, 6 designated community schools and professional resources for English learners. In addition, we do whatever it takes to ensure students are safe, fed and have access to life essentials such as providing mental health services, providing basic needs for students (food, clothing, hygiene, and the availability of trained counselors, social workers and behavior intervention specialists). Accordingly, the Boise School District can increase its graduation rate by implementing the various strategies outlined under Goal 2 of the Boise School District Strategic plan which includes focusing on seeking new creative and innovative ways to improve and implement Boise Schools’ comprehensive curriculum and advance existing programs designed to assist at-risk and minority students.

Matthew Shapiro:

Not having a high school diploma can keep a lot of doors closed for people in our society. We should make it not only possible, but highly likely, that every student be able to graduate. That said, I think that the variety of paths beyond high school are diverse, and don’t only include college. Recognizing that one area of opportunity for increasing graduation rates may be to ensure flexibility of paths - something more individualized. Some students may be drawn toward a “maximum academic” path that includes AP classes, the highest possible SAT scores, and co-enrollment in college, while others may give greater priority to vocational education, skills, knowledge, and careers that require different learning opportunities and types of credits. One caveat here is to make absolutely sure that students are not “steered” in one direction or the other based on the expectations of others, as bias and prejudice has historically done.

I think we should also consciously recognize a difference between “drop out”—which is based on the premise of failure (of the system to help a student succeed)—and “opt out”, which is based on the premise of a student’s freedom to choose their educational destiny outside of school. Even if we reduce the drop-out rate to zero, there may still be opt-outs. Providing the latter with the greatest flexibility of educational path within the District will be important. This can include greater awareness of opportunities to earn credits through demonstrations of knowledge rather than through coursework or “seat time”.

In sum, I think that we should definitely aim to increase graduate rates, and that in addition to simply ensuring that students are getting the best support, curriculum, and instruction to maximize their learning and success within the “traditional” ladder, that we design greater flexibility into graduation paths based on what students are really interested in and prioritize. I would suggest that we work with students and their families to really understanding what they’d like to see, and then design and implement the graduation path, or paths, that work for everyone.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

Satisfied overall, though there is room for improvement. I would also like to explore the numbers and demographics associated with the graduation rate.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

As an educator, I find it difficult to be satisfied with any graduation rate that falls below 100%. Whether or not it’s practical for a district as large as Boise to hit that lofty goal, I don’t believe we should find satisfaction short of it. Every student who fails to graduate is a student who had needs that went unmet. We should never stop striving for improvement while that remains the case.

To target this shortfall, we first need to compile meaningful data; we need to know the specific reasons that students drop out or fail to advance in Boise Schools. Boise is a unique area when compared to the rest of our state, so relying on general state-level trends will not help us understand the areas that need improvement in the BSD. We need to fully understand our local context.

This data should be readily available to us (if we seek it). Any student facing challenges so severe that they don’t graduate ought to have been identified for intervention by at least one teacher, counselor, or administrator ahead of time. If we find this is not the case, then the priority of the Board of Trustees should be to implement more thorough training on formative assessment and behavioral health to address our blind spots. That way we can more effectively know how all students are doing (and why).

Having a better understanding of what interventions were attempted with students who fail to graduate—and the needs that those interventions couldn’t meet—will allow the Board to dedicate resources towards specific gaps in our district’s support system. Charting any course to “improve graduation rates” without gathering and considering such detailed data will just be flying blind.

Dawn King:

The Boise School District is above the state average in graduation rates but there is room for further improvement. One way to do this is to keep students engaged in extracurricular activities. Another option would be to increase school counseling which can educate and support both students and parents moving toward graduation. Additional career counseling can monitor progress and mentor toward graduation and post-high school decisions. Expansion of our Career Technical Education program would be beneficial for students who struggle to graduate.

Elizabeth Langley:

I am extremely proud of our graduation rate while also dedicated to continuing to increase it. With programs like DTEC technical ed, Frank Church School and Community Schools, we are leading in building interventions for our most at-risk learners.

Todd Kurowski:

Never let go of the 100% graduation goal.

Yet what are the demographics with both BSD and the state? What’s contributing to those rates? Break down the numbers.
To me the failure here is too little statistical analysis of these numbers. These statistics are too vague and may be misleading. This isn’t a black and white problem, the devil is in the details.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

No one should be satisfied until our graduation rate is 100%. High school graduation not only promotes individual empowerment and community prosperity, but it is also essential to maintaining a well-functioning civil society.

As a student in the Boise School District, I know that every one of us has what it takes to succeed. We have the best faculty in the state who tell us every day that our voices matter and that we can make a difference. Now we need district policy to align with the inclusivity that students and teachers are already working to promote. Everyone deserves to feel welcome at school. On the Board, I will work to provide funding for initiatives that support students who are most at-risk of dropping out. I will expand mental health resources, support student-led sexuality and gender alliances and ethnic heritage clubs, grow school sport and extracurricular involvement, and encourage students to pursue the arts.

Beyond inclusivity, flexibility is essential to increase graduation rates. With FLEX, online, alternative, and evening classes, Boise Schools already has several programs to support non-traditional students, but too often, students and families are unfamiliar with these options. On the Board, I will pursue an outreach task force to educate at-risk students about their choices and their unique possible paths to graduation. I will also work to end zero-tolerance policies and ensure that disciplinary procedures are enforced equitably across the district.

Student empowerment is the final key to increase graduation rates. Treating all students with dignity communicates that they are valued in their school community. We must transition away from archaic school start times. Numerous studies have shown that starting traditional secondary schools just 45 minutes later can significantly increase graduation rates. Healthful school architecture with access to natural light and the outdoors can also communicate that students are human beings, not machines. Opportunities for student leadership, regardless of "popularity" gives students a greater stake in their own education.

Steve Schmidt:

I’m not satisfied with this graduation rate because I believe we can always improve. But I do recognize and appreciate the work our teachers and staff have done to graduate as many students as they have, especially considering the challenges of hybrid and online learning.

Ideally, I want all students to graduate receiving a high-quality education. To do this, we need to maintain the things that are working for most of our students, then continuously improve to gain the rest.

Research shows that in-class learning time is a key driver of student success. Many elements affect this, but some include: understanding chronic absenteeism and intervening on a per-student basis; ensuring basic life needs are met; implementing teaching strategies for all student abilities to minimize “pull-out”; and proving challenging and varied courses that keep students engaged. Our neighborhood school model, a culture of healthy student to adult connection, learning coaches, AVID, AP courses, Career Technical Education and more are steps being taken to achieve this.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

Our Everything is Possible campaign has done a remarkable job of telling the incredible stories of the Boise School District. By telling our almost never-ending success stories, it enhances the value of Boise Schools in our community, benefiting our community’s businesses’ employee recruiting, the District's ability to hire and retain employees with higher job satisfaction, and making students and parents aware of all the opportunities the Boise School District offers.

We have decided to invest a very small percentage of our budget, about .06%, to ensure that our community understands the value of traditional public neighborhood schools. I am sure that you will find that almost every public charter and private school in the state exceeds that budget percentage for advertising and marketing, especially if you include the budget of Bluum, a private organization whose sole purpose is to increase the number of public charter school students and take students away from traditional public education. We must continue to convince parents in no uncertain terms that the Boise School District is the best option for their children’s education. Also see my answer to question 3 as to why communication is important.

As far as the reduction in students in the Boise School District, that is an easy question to answer. Families, especially younger families, have been forced to move from our district to more affordable areas due to the high cost of housing in the Boise area.

Greg Woodard:

I completely disagree with spending any amount of money on advertising, let alone $500,000. Generally, when you move into an area, you go to the schools in the district where you live. Given the continued home developments in our District, we should expect a natural increase in students in the coming years. Rather than spending money on radio ads, the Board should be evaluating why thousands of students have not returned after resuming in-person learning. As I explained above, I believe there is a lack of trust in the Board due to a habitual lack of transparency that needs to be addressed.

Beth Oppenheimer:

The purpose of the Everything’s Possible campaign is to raise awareness and ensure parents and patrons have a clear understanding of the value Boise schools offer our students, families and our community. During my first couple of years serving on the communication committee, it was apparent that our community was not aware of the unique and vast array of programs and services that are offered to students and families within our district. We were sharing this information among ourselves, but stopped short of promoting these incredible offerings to our stakeholders. This campaign has been invaluable in communicating the key components of our strategic plan and promoting our success in providing every student an opportunity to engage in learning based on individual learning styles and the support we offer to families.

The campaign offers parents the ability to make well-informed decisions when they enroll their children in school and be aware of options that work best for their family. I believe that the decline in enrollment in the past 8 years is mostly due to the fact that families with young children simply cannot afford to buy a home in our district. Low supply and high demand, coupled with the continuation of low wages, make it almost impossible for families with young children to move to Boise. All of which is out of our control.

Krista Hasler:

No I do not. I want to know why students are leaving and then address those concerns directly if they are in our control. Every dollar spent and every decision made needs to prioritize education, students come first! Let’s make Boise Schools so great that people are coming because of the reputation of our district. Actions speak louder than words and when a system is working it is apparent by things like enrollment. The decline has a root cause and we should already know the answer and address the cause. I think the District should contact those who are educating their children elsewhere to find out why they are leaving. We have to ask hard questions and then be open to the feedback we receive. I am good at asking hard questions and utilizing constructive feedback to bring about change. Then, as a District, we will need to make changes in the areas we have control over.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

Goal 6 of the Boise School District Strategic Plan is to create, implement and monitor communication initiatives that improve stakeholder understanding and trust. For this reason, patrons deserve to understand how Boise Schools are performing and the District should be proactive in highlighting its accomplishments and the experience of our teachers. For example:

• Four high schools named ‘Most Challenging’ by Washington Post for 10+ years
• 67% of our students go on to college within 2 years (top in the state)
• More National Merit Scholar semi-finalists than any other district in Idaho
• Four high schools named ‘Most Challenging’ by Washington Post for 10+ years
• More National Merit Scholar semi-finalists than any other district in Idaho
• 76% of our teachers hold a Master’s Degree
• Our teachers have an average of 14 years’ experience

The current decrease in the student population is in line in what was predicted by the District prior to passing of the 2018 school bond, which was based on demographics and population trends. In additional, Boise’s housing crisis has unfortunately caused many families to move out of the Boise School District (and even out of Idaho) in favor of more affordable housing-which has contributed directly toward the total net loss of students.

Matthew Shapiro:

Since enrollment has a direct and significant impact on funding, then some investment in marketing and promotion is likely worth it – if done well. I haven’t studied the retention and attraction campaign, so I’m not in a position to evaluate it today. As noted in response to the “Challenges” question, declining enrollment is likely due in some part to forces beyond the control of the District, such as housing affordability. A campaign should thus focus on the outstanding educational experience in Boise (both academic and extracurricular) and the benefits of the diversity of our student body. We should also consider how we can be continually evolving in our educational design and offerings to maximize the advantages we can offer over homeschooling, charters, and other sources of “competition” for enrollment.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

As a constituent I was disappointed that the BSD chose to spend dollars on advertising that should have been used on education. I do not support continuance of this effort and use of taxpayer dollars. If the BSD just provides a quality education there is no need for advertising.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

No, I do not support continuing to spend those funds on marketing and promotional campaigns. With all the vitriol and misinformation related to public education in the media, I understand the district’s desire to effectively engage in that discussion. However, I am unconvinced that spending such a large sum of money on marketing is an effective or appropriate way to do so.

If anything, I believe such efforts may have been counterproductive. How can such an expenditure be justified when our schools and students already have needs that are not being met with our current funds? Spending half a million dollars on marketing and promotional campaigns only provides fuel to the false narrative that schools already have sufficient funds and are just being mismanaged.

I believe it would be far better to target that money towards resources to support our students and staff. The best way to market the quality of our district is to continually improve, innovate, and provide an educational experience that is unbeatable anywhere else in Boise. When our schools perform at that level and engage deeply with the surrounding community, their quality speaks for itself.

Finally, the district marketing campaign fails to acknowledge the huge role that housing prices and inflation are having on our decreasing enrollment. When teaching at Fairmont, I saw dozens of families priced out of Boise, leading them to disenroll from the BSD. These issues are serious and largely beyond to scope of the district to address itself. No amount of marketing will keep a family in Boise if they can’t afford to stay.

Dawn King:

With the increased price of houses in the Boise Housing Market, many families with school-age students are being forced to find housing in outlying districts. The “Everything’s Possible” campaign focuses on the opportunities within the district. The Boise School district needs to widen its base and reach for potential students.

Let’s change the narrative with a new mission. The new campaign could be called “I love Boise Public Schools”. Every staff member in the district would wear this shirt once per month and be asked to tweet something positive that happened that month in their class or school. This would also be published on the district website and maybe some would be published in the press.

Each month, one administrator could write an article about something new in education to inform the community about what was new and how it affects the schools for good.

On the district webpage, put the red and golden apple awardees so everyone will see something positive about the district. All of these things would help change the narrative

Elizabeth Langley:

The Everything’s Possible campaign has been about ensuring that our community has a transparent understanding of what Boise Schools has to offer and how it is of value to the community. The campaign has been invaluable in communicating the key components of our strategic plan. It is essential that we continue to find ways to communicate with our stakeholders and combat information like "Idaho has a terrible education" when Boise Schools are actually in the top 6% of districts in the nation.

Todd Kurowski:

Support marketing? No.

The declining enrollments is feedback to BSD that they may not meeting the needs of their customers (the parents).

Parents may be taking their kids to private, charter or home school as a response to the BSD not providing what parents value as modern effective education.

Those results speak volumes to me and apparently many parents.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

I support outreach efforts to retrain and attract enrollment. However, these outreach efforts have been less fruitful than expected because they lacked sufficient student input. On the Board, I will assemble a task force of students from all district quads to work with district staff and educators to promote sustained enrollment. Inclusion, flexibility, and empowerment initiatives can also help increase enrollment.

Steve Schmidt:

Although this question draws an implied cause-and-effect relationship between marketing/promotional campaigns and decreasing enrollment, it is notable that it fails to mention factors more closely related to enrollment decline or the marketing campaigns from other organizations competing for students in the district.

Because of these other groups’ marketing efforts, I do support continued marketing efforts by the Boise School District to continue to promote our programs, teachers, and students. This provides parents more information on the value Boise Public Schools provide when they make decisions about where their children will attend school.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

I have special experience in this area. Prior to serving as a Boise School District Trustee, I served for 8 years on a charter school board, including two years as Board President.

The Boise School District offers many different education programs including: Dual Language, Montessori, AVID, Advanced Placement Classes, Dual Credit Classes, Treasure Valley Math and Science, Frank Church High School, Gifted and Talented Programs, Professional Technical offerings, STEP, summer school and night school. Are there still more programs that we should and will consider? You bet! Can successful charter schools help us identify opportunities for our district? Yes. But, at the same time the investment of public dollars in charter schools should involve regular, thorough evaluations of the school’s purpose and results. I believe the state has been hesitant to weed out charter schools that are no longer providing value to the taxpayers of Idaho..

Greg Woodard:

Both my wife and I are products of the public school system and all of my kids have been in the public school system for the majority of their school years. I have had incredible teachers who have made massive positive impacts on my life and we have seen many similar teachers in our kids' lives. However, I recognize that not all families have had the same experience from traditional public schools. In instances where traditional public school failure is proven, I have no problem with charter schools as an alternative.

Moreover, I believe competition is healthy and any options to traditional public schools should motivate public schools to continue to meet and exceed their standards.

Beth Oppenheimer:

I respect the right of parents to make educational decisions they believe are best for their family. I do not see the small influx of charter schools within Boise as a threat to our district. In my opinion, the Boise schools offer a broad range of learning environments and programs to serve every child, from every background, with all different learning abilities. Our school district also provides opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom including a variety of extracurricular programs. We often collaborate with charter schools to provide these types of activities to students that charter schools are not always able to provide.

Krista Hasler:

Charters offer different opportunities than public schools. I see the well rounded opportunities provided in public schools as a major bonus to students who attend. I see Charter schools providing a different learning environment, and that is one of the reasons I think they are finding success in our area. As I already stated one of my objectives is to address the tone of the learning environment in our public secondary schools. In my opinion, Charters are only a threat to the district if people are no longer interested in the opportunities in public education because they want a different learning environment. So my solution is addressing the tone of the learning environment and personalizing learning so that parents and students are happy with the environment and education provided through public schools.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

There has not been a significant recent increase in the opening of charter schools in Boise. As I understand, only two charter schools opened buildings within the last 10 years within the Boise School District area, while one charter school folded its doors in 2014. There is currently only one brick and mortar school serving secondary students.

The decision where to send your child for schooling rests with the parents. Ultimately, parents decide which educational avenue will be in their child’s best interests, whether that be through Boise Schools, private schools, charter schools or homeschooling. As a product of the Boise School District, a parent of a child attending Boise schools (and another a graduate) and as Boise School District Trustee, I confidentially stand along with fellow patrons behind the Boise School District as a provider of high-quality education to its students. Since the Boise School District’s establishment in 1881, students have been offered a top education and the Boise School District is driven and focused to graduate each student prepared for college, career and citizenship.

Finally, potential opportunities for collaboration with all educational stakeholders (including charter schools, private schools and universities) in the area always exist and it is incumbent upon the Boise School District to look for such opportunities to leverage collective resources for the benefit of its students.

Matthew Shapiro:

In response to your questions, I would say it’s “all of the above”: threat, criticism, and potential opportunity. As the past founder of a charter school that operated in the Boise area, I probably have a deeper perspective on this than other candidates. Charter schools draw students, and with students they draw funding. But they draw more than funding: they draw involvement and initiative. I would hope that before parents put energy and involvement into charter schools, they put energy and involvement into their District schools. “Choice” eternally presents itself in the opportunity to get involved at any level—classroom, school, or district—and make a positive difference. To the extent that barriers exist to such involvement, it would be our responsibility as trustees to help remove those barriers.

While I started a charter school, I am not a blanket supporter of all charter schools. I believe that the purpose for charter schools under the original Idaho charter law was to spur innovation that district schools could learn from. Some Idaho schools indeed introduced innovation. Anser is a good example, as was the school I started (originally called the Garden City Community School, later DaVinci Charter School). Unfortunately, innovation was apparently removed as a criterion for charter schools in Idaho, and many created since then were simply “cookie cutter” schools using a traditional model. It always puzzled me that the Boise District chose to emulate the Harbor method in one of its own schools, yet did not offer the Expeditionary Learning method that Anser has successfully demonstrated. So in terms of opportunity for collaboration, I would look to charters demonstrating models that fit well with the educational philosophy of the District and explore potential opportunities. This could include learning from their approaches, or even perhaps integrating the schools into the District.

Ultimately, I think the best strategy for the District to take to ensure that enrollment (and parental involvement) is not be threatened by charter schools is to (a) deeply engage parents and students already in District schools, (b) to take the lead in innovating and ensuring that our curriculum and instructional methods are the best fit with how students learn, and (c) we need to stand for something. Charter School A stands for philosophy X. Charter School B stands for philosophy Y. What do we stand for? Let’s figure that out and state it, and if we can’t state it, then we have some design reflection to do. And let’s not forget that the Boise District is itself one of a few “charter” districts in the state. How can we use that to benefit all students to the greatest extent?

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

Charter schools should not be viewed as a threat or as competition, just as education should not be viewed as "one size fits all". Healthy communities have educational options, and our students and families deserve options.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

I think it is fair to say that every new charter school opening is an indication that a subset of our community believed some need wasn’t being adequately met. That’s not to say that such beliefs are always accurate—there is a lot of political noise and misinformation driving overly-negative views of our traditional public schools. However, it would be a mistake for any Trustee to dismiss these criticisms out of hand.

Some charter schools intentionally seek out students who are already at-risk of dropping out or who have profound challenges that prevent them from being successful in the traditional setting. Despite such schools being a minority among charters (in my experience), I believe there is potential for our district to see such schools as collaborative partners. They can occupy niches that are financially and administratively impractical for a large district to do. In the rare cases where students are still struggling to find success despite all interventions currently available in Boise Schools, it would be to the benefit of both the BSD and the students to connect them with a local charter that targets their unique needs.

That said, there are many charters that seek to directly compete with our traditional public schools, or which actively recruit high- performing and easy-to-manage students. I believe the existence of such charters increases inequity and ultimately harms our public education system. We should always reflect on the criticisms in our community and look for ways to improve the Boise School District, but I actively oppose to proliferation of charter schools that recruit from populations already finding success in our traditional public schools.

Dawn King:

Charter schools are started for many different reasons. One thing they all have in common is that they are designed to meet the specific needs of students. Parents recognize the needs of their children and enroll them in the schools according to their child’s needs. The school district would benefit from collaboration with these charter schools and parents to best meet the needs of the students. Due to the structure of charter schools, their class sizes tend to be smaller which is appealing to the parents of Boise School’s students. There is also the perception that there are fewer classroom disruptions and discipline problems in charter schools. These reasons have the largest appeal to our parents and students. As a district, we need to do more to meet the needs of these students with the support of the parents. We need to reduce class sizes, expand our support for all student learning abilities, and continue the retention of quality educators in order to maintain or increase our public school enrollment.

Elizabeth Langley:

The growth of charters is not a threat to the Boise School District. I do believe, however, that like public education, there should be a quality standard of expectation that taxpayers set for what is provided as education if it is funded by tax dollars.

Todd Kurowski:

It’s not a threat, it’s feedback!

It’s an opportunity if the BSD can recognize that they are likely out of touch with their actual customers’ needs and values (the parents who enroll or don’t enroll).

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

I support school choice, but I believe that funding public schools should be a top priority. The growth of charters in Boise indicates that our schools are not fully meeting the needs of our community. We have some of the best educators and staff in the state, but we are still falling short. We need new initiatives to increase enrollment and retention.

Steve Schmidt:

My time on the board has exposed me to some of the vast array of services aimed at meeting the needs of the students of all abilities and backgrounds in the district. Rather than a threat to—or criticism of—the district, I see Charter Schools as the desire of some in our community for a more specialized education, or an education delivered in an alternative manner to that provided by the Boise School District.

We do collaborate with the charter and private schools in the area today. In some cases, students from these schools take courses or participate in athletic activities provided by the Boise School District. As we work to continuously improve, we should consider if elements of these schools could be implemented in our district to benefit our students.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

Teaching is where the magic happens. A district that fails to invest in its teachers, is bound to fail. Properly supporting teachers has many facets. Compensation is just one piece of a very complex relationship. Class sizes, continuing education, community support, and an empowering, safe work environment are all essential to attracting and retaining the best teachers.

We have one of the most experienced group of teachers in the state. Our teachers on average have over 14 years of experience teaching and 76% have earned a Master’s Degree. We have created an environment where teachers are appreciated and are defended by our board. Do we still face shortages in some areas? Yes, special education, professional technical, and home economics continue to be challenging disciplines to recruit. But by focusing on listening to teachers’ wants and needs and acting on those elements, the Boise School District has put itself in an excellent position to attract and retain its most valuable asset, teachers!

I am very proud of the negotiation process we have with our teachers and staff. We use a process called interest-based bargaining. The negotiation team meets almost year-round, working hard to understand each side’s wants and needs. The result is that we have had great relations with our employees, with a typical contract approval rate of above 96%. That’s incredible, but it is built on open communication and trust, and that starts with a Board of Trustees that supports the process.

Greg Woodard:

I would defer to sitting Board members on where the shortages are most serious as they have the data. I know the District has had substitute and other staff shortages as a result of Covid and I wish they had anticipated those shortages to deal with them in a more efficient manner. We have a large budget increase this year and I support increasing teacher compensation and benefits to compete with neighboring school districts and states. I also support good communication with our teachers to let them know they are being heard and also to make sure that schools are implementing policies supported by teachers.

Beth Oppenheimer:

At this time, the Boise school district has continued in its success to recruit and retain high quality teachers. Our retention rate remains steady which speaks loudly to the value our district places on our teachers. Our highly trained and passionate teachers are the key to our ability to provide every student with a high-quality education. However, the district annually experiences shortages in areas that are most common in districts around the state such as special education and classified staff. As many, I am concerned about the ability for any district to recruit highly trained educators as we are seeing a decline in undergraduate higher ed and graduate level enrollment across the country. The biggest change in hiring that we have seen in our Boise schools has been the number of applicants for each position, which has decreased over the past several years.

Krista Hasler:

75% of Boise school educators have a masters’ degree and 14 plus years of experience, that is impressive. We have really talented and qualified teachers in our district. I can’t speak to teacher retention in Boise Schools as I don’t have that data. Educators in our district are the experts in their classrooms. I value them and will collaborate with them regarding solutions needed in our District.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

Goal 4 of the Boise School District’s Strategic Plan is to hire and retain the best staff, so any shortage in any area is serious. The Boise School District's focus on ensuring that we hire and retain the best can be accomplished through the exeuction of Strategy 1 of Goal 4 which is to align our recruitment, hiring and onboarding process to ensure a highly qualified and diverse staff for certified and classified positions. This strategy includes the implementation of the following identified key action items:

• Key Action 1 - Broaden our recruiting approach to identify and attract diverse and qualified applicants
• Key Action 2 - Identify new ways to advertise and recruit for hard to fill positions
• Key Action 3 - Increase the number of Teacher Career Fairs that we participate in annually
• Key Action 4 - Improve communication and education for new and existing employees regarding the health and employment benefits that are part of an employee's overall compensation package
• Key Action 5 - Create a recruiting video
• Key Action 6 - Involve existing employees in recruitment efforts
• Key Action 7 - Hold our own hiring/career fair
• Key Action 8 - Screen for understanding of cultural proficiency as part of the hiring process

Matthew Shapiro:

As responded above, partially repeated here). Staffing shortages seem to be due to a combination of retirements, salaries and related rising cost of living, and perhaps perception of (lack of) community support. This is obviously a complex issue, and I don’t purport to have a comprehensive strategy ready to go, nor have I conducted a study of the situation in order to ascertain in what areas we are facing the greatest shortages. That would certainly be part of my duty upon entering office. I am very skilled in research, analysis, and strategy development, and this would be one issue where I apply those skills.

In general, once identifying the reasons for our shortages, I would explore the relative weight of the various reasons driving shortages, to gain the most useful picture, and then seek with my colleagues to identify a range of solutions, pursuing those that are most viable. Part of a strategy may be looking at helping bolster the number of students entering the teaching programs in our area universities.

Looking at what other districts around the state and country have done could be quite valuable in that regard as well. Ensuring that we treat all staff—both certified and classified—as valued team members, and backing that up with competitive salaries, benefits, and professional support will be essential parts of the solution. I would say I was treated well in Boise schools when I was a paraprofessional, but there is likely room for improvement in salaries and benefits there.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

Our teachers need more classroom support. Some of our educators are overwhelmed with behavior problems that can't be addressed and they are stressed out because they can't teach to those who are there to learn. Some also have large class sizes which prevent them from providing adequate one on one instruction. Teachers are paid to teach, which is what they want to do, not to babysit. The District should take a wholistic look at policies that can be modified, or created, that will address these issues.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

Much of this question was addressed in my earlier response regarding the biggest challenge currently facing the district. This is an issue that I studied deeply while working at the State Board of Education, and it is only likely to grow in the coming years. Improving salary and benefits is an important aspect of staff retention—but unfortunately that is largely the domain of our state legislature. At the local level, research shows that our best tools are improving mentoring programs and educator-driven professional development pathways.

Historically, the areas with the most challenging shortages are special education and STEM subjects. This is likely to continue. However, my interactions with the Boise School District’s Human Resources staff in the last year revealed that most applicant pools are already shrinking. This means that even when positions are filled, there are less opportunities to select truly exceptional candidates. State level data shows that staffing challenges are not likely to be isolated to only a couple subject areas. Solutions need to be broadly targeted for all educational staff, not just traditionally hard-to-fill positions.

Further, compensation for classified staff (cafeteria workers, custodians, paraprofessionals, etc.) is failing to keep up with the recent increases seen for similar positions in the private sector. These staff are often underappreciated despite being the backbone that keep our school buildings running. Together, these factors push many great workers out of these positions. Finding creative ways to enhance compensation or provide unique opportunities that can attract/retain classified staff will be vital in the changing economic environment we find ourselves in.

Dawn King:

The Boise school district is in a unique position because of the locale of Boise State, CSI, & NNU and their teacher education programs. Recruiting begins with student observations and student teaching which shows them what the Boise school district has to offer. This is an advantage of the Boise school district to be able to recruit highly qualified educators. The issue then becomes one of retention of these educators. Professions outside the teaching field pay more for the level of education than the education field.

Because of this, teachers with specialized degrees such as science, math, technology, and engineering often leave education for higher pay. Teachers are also being given more responsibilities without being compensated for extra time worked. To address this, first Boise school district needs to examine our internal budget to ensure funds are allocated appropriately. Next, there needs to be an increase in salary for teachers with advanced degrees and those who teach college-level classes in our high schools. Third, we need to work more closely with the Idaho legislature to increase funding directly for teacher pay.

Elizabeth Langley:

No answers yet

Todd Kurowski:

Without being a subject matter expert on the matter, my guess is it looks grim.

I cannot imagine how a new teacher or even veteran teachers can afford to live in our area. The pay and benefits seems inadequate at best.

The culture our teachers work in for some are great while others experience stifling micromanagement to the point of driving them away from a career that they love.

I’m curious about the turnover rate of our teachers and the quality of teachers that are hired in spite of pay challenges and the possible toxic culture within an organization.

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

Based on my experience as a student in the Boise School District, I know that we have some of the best educators and staff in the state. In Boise, we are lucky that taxpayers have decided that quality education is important, but we still face record staff shortages. While other states have increased funding for public schools, in Idaho, extremist legislators have made teachers the target of a shameless campaign to undermine public education as a whole. This, combined with added stress and uncertainty during the pandemic, has driven much of the hiring and retention issues in our state. Teachers deserve accountability and consistency from the BSD Board. We need to pay our teachers and staff competitively, and we must stand up to bullies when our communities are under attack.

Teachers know what teachers need. I've always been an advocate for teacher freedom and funding, and I will work with the BEA to devise creative solutions to our current staff shortages.

Steve Schmidt:

There have been notable numbers of teachers retiring or leaving the teaching profession to change careers in the last 2 years. However, we currently have the targeted number of teachers to meet our expected student enrollment. Our biggest need is for classified employees.

Whether for certified or classified employees, our district must continue to provide competitive pay and benefits packages, stable work environments with consistent leadership, supportive and capable school administrators, and clear development and growth opportunities.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

I do support the Reclaim Idaho Education ballot initiative. While it may not be perfect, any attempt to support additional funding to Idaho’s public school is welcome.

Greg Woodard:

It is always easy to say that we should spend more money on education, and I believe that increasing spending on teacher compensation and benefits is always a positive step. However, there are only a finite amount of sources for the funding for our schools. Raising taxes always has consequences. I have researched the Reclaim Idaho ballot initiative and I have questions. How did they calculate the estimated annual amount they claim will be raised for our schools? Who decides how that money is spent?

What are the consequences of raising taxes on the groups the initiative targets? I also understand that when someone claims that a certain group of people will never be taxed, that is not always the case. Some believe the language in the initiative is written incorrectly and could result in those with lower incomes being taxed. I will continue to look into the details of the initiative and cast my vote in November like all other voters.

Beth Oppenheimer:

I support increased investments in education at the local, state and federal level. Strong schools make strong communities and it is up to all of us to ensure our schools are funded appropriately.

Krista Hasler:

Of course money headed to education always sounds great, however increasing taxes that much threatens small businesses and potentially our economy when these wealthy families, business, and corporations leave because of this tax hike. I think we need to be asking what is the long term sustainability? Who pays this 300 plus million a year when these families or companies head to a state that doesn’t tax at that rate? The bills won’t disappear just because the funding does. So do the every day struggling families pay extra taxes? In our district the spending is already significantly more per student than in other surrounding districts. We need to look at how funds are allocated and redirect funds where possible to the needs of students and educators.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

The success and quality of life in the Gem state depends on the success of its public schools. For this reason, Idaho needs to have a candid and honest conversation about the best way to provide stable and suitable funding for its public schools. The ballot initiative provides citizens the opportunity to directly participate in this conversation.

Matthew Shapiro:

While I would prefer an appropriate level of funding allocated through the normal legislative process, I generally support the initiative. Its supporters met the onerous requirements for getting it on the ballot, and there is a reason why we have a provision for initiatives to supplement the legislative process. The voters deserve an opportunity to weigh in on it. The rationale for the initiative seems solid: Idaho per-pupil education spending is at the bottom nationally, and while we need to make sure we spend money effectively, schooling costs money, and there are factors of quality that are clearly linked to the availability of funds. The tax increase would only apply to corporations (who usually have ways of minimizing tax impacts) and the highest income earners; I haven’t heard a strong case that the tax increase would harm the economy.

All other things being equal, it should enhance our state’s ability to meet its educational support mission. We could do a better job of showing how and why additional funding benefits students and the long-term health and strength of Idaho public education. That would increase the base of support, help show that increased funding is an investment, and help counter the arguments of those who say that more educational funding is wasteful.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

I do not support this initiative, especially during the current economic crisis that our constituents are facing.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

Yes, I do support the Reclaim Idaho ballot initiative to increase K-12 funding. Under Article IX of the Idaho Constitution, the legislature is obligated to maintain a “uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools.” They have consistently failed to meet this obligation. A lack of adequate state funding has resulted in most districts relying on local tax levies to fully-fund their schools. This creates a very non-uniform system in which the school services available to a given student has more to do with their address and local tax base than anything else. I view the Reclaim Idaho ballot initiative as a grass-roots effort to fulfill the constitutional obligation that our legislature has refused to satisfy.

A stronger public education system benefits everyone in the state. It lowers crime rates, strengthens the workforce, and attracts investment. As such, there are few things more deserving of our tax dollars. Even though nobody loves a tax increase, the initiative put forth by Reclaim Idaho would have a minimal practical impact on most Idahoans. It seems clear that the benefits outweigh the costs—especially when we are currently failing to provide our kids with the education that they are constitutionally owed.

Dawn King:

I support the “Reclaim Idaho Ballot Initiative”. In the initiative, money raised from the education initiative would go toward reducing class size, increasing pay, investing in educational materials, expanding curriculum, and supporting elective courses. This would help in retaining quality educators, increasing educator support, increasing the graduation rates, and kindergarten readiness growth, and would help the Boise school district better meet the needs of its students.

Elizabeth Langley:

I support the effort to find additional, dedicated funding for Idaho’s public schools.

Todd Kurowski:

Not yet.

Without diving deep into the workings of BSD I suspect there maybe significant waste in hard to find or reach places.

If BSD were lean, efficient and focused on its primary customers (the parents and their kids) there may not be a need to raise taxes yet.

If the revenue from Reclaim Idaho was invested in new or enhanced Trades this may attract more parents and their kids. Just a guess…

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

Not only do I support the Quality Education Initiative, but I worked with students across Boise to collect signatures to put it on the ballot. Idaho has the lowest per-pupil education funding in the country. Teachers should not have to empty their own pockets to purchase pencils and seating for their classrooms. If our legislature will not adequately fund our schools, the people must! In Boise, we can use this funding to invest in mental health resources for students and give much-deserved raises to faculty and staff. The Quality Education Act will expand equitable access to education for all Idahoans including Boise students.

Steve Schmidt:

I support the effort to increase dedicated funding for public schools in Idaho.

However, I do not support increasing the corporate tax rate to accomplish this as studies conducted over the last 15 years find that state corporate tax increases will be paid by employees in the form of lower wages, and result in lower employment. The proposed increase would make Idaho’s corporate tax rate 8%, equal to the 11th highest in the nation, tied with Massachusetts. This is not in the best interest of Idahoans.

Race #1 Two 6-year terms

Dave Wagers:

There are so many places additional funds could be used in our district. Smaller class sizes, facilities improvements (maintenance, structural and safety), investing in our employees, increased program offerings, more community schools, mental health services, AVID expansion, classroom aides, athletics support, music and art support, special education, the list goes on and on.

The key is making sure that we use solid processes to allocate those funds appropriately. By using our strategic plan and continuous improvement processes with input from all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members) we can identify the best uses of additional funds to increase achievement for all students.

Greg Woodard:

Increasing teacher compensation and benefits to compete with other districts and states should be a priority. We want to let teachers know we support them and value them. I support talking with the teachers to see where they believe money should be spent to best equip them to educate our students.

Beth Oppenheimer:

Should the legislature provide increased funding for education, I would like the Boise schools to continue to invest in our teachers, improvement of facilities, as well as health and safety measures which will allow us to increase access to quality educational programs and opportunities for all students to thrive. Significant funding for education would also allow us to maintain class sizes which have historically been low in the Boise schools.

Krista Hasler:

I would use discretionary money to increase resources directed at students learning to make up for lost classroom time due to covid, targeting those who are struggling the most. I would also use funds to increase the positive social education our students are provided. As students focus on having experiences living with shared values we will see changes in the learning environment and experience an increase in emotional intelligence, life skills, and interpersonal communication, to improve the tone of the learning environment and students long term success.

Race #2 one 4-year term

Andy Hawes:

How the Boise School District should best use money, whether the funds are new, discretionary money or otherwise should be determined through the formal budgetary process which takes into consideration the priorities set forth under Boise School District Strategic Plan. Priorities under Strategic Plan include continued investment in curriculum (new and expanded programs, increasing access and opportunities for all students), people (salaries and benefits) and facilities (health and safety).

Matthew Shapiro:

Presumably this would be based on using some of the recently announced surplus, which would mean it’s not necessarily a sustainable additional revenue stream. That means its use should be for long-term investments rather than for things that require long- term increases in operating revenues (e.g., increasing salaries). “Long term investments” would include facilities needs, but are not limited to physical investments. I would work with administrators and teaching staff—and with students, who have a unique ground- level perspective—to identify highest priority areas, and then explore how priorities can be leveraged so we can get the greatest “bang for the buck”. What doesn’t find an immediate need could be placed into a contingency fund. Perhaps each school could determine how best to spend a certain amount of funds for its own needs.

Neil “Gnome” Mercer:

Retaining qualified teachers, staff and principals – they are the glue that holds our District together.

Race #3 one 2-year term

Nathan (Nate) Dean:

Should the district receive a large boost in discretionary funds, there are three main areas I would like to see targeted with that money: Literacy interventions, student mental health services, and improvements in school facilities (especially in terms of health/safety issues).

Even in the subjects I teach (math and science), the largest barrier to success is often literacy. If a kid struggles to read and write, they will struggle in all aspects of their education. Worst of all, struggling readers are more likely to disengage from school altogether. Arguably the best bang-for-the-buck method to improve academic performance and engagement is to ensure all students are reading and writing at grade level. I would support targeting funds to expand research-backed literacy interventions, especially early interventions that address issues before they can grow.

Alongside academic performance, student mental health is a growing area of concern. Unfortunately, it’s also an area that is underfunded. School counselors often have too large of a case load, and social workers/psychologists are spread even more thin. Additionally, teachers are under-trained in trauma-informed practice. This makes it difficult to identify and serve students who may be in crisis or need additional supports. Providing more resources in this area will not only make our students more successful, but will also make our schools safer.

In terms of facilities, it’s true that most Boise Schools are in better condition than many around the state. However, there are still substantial shortfalls in some of our facilities—especially the older ones. Not all are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and issues like indoor-air-quality and drinking-water-quality are not given adequate attention. Additionally, the reliance on portable trailers for classrooms at many schools undermines efforts to create a safe and securable environment in the face of potential violent threats. Should the district receive an increase in discretionary funds, I would like to see a substantial portion of that money go towards making the school environment safer and healthier for students and staff.

Dawn King:

If the district were to receive discretionary money, the school district should increase our spending per student through salary increases, expanding instructional support, and quality educational materials and curriculum. Many teachers have outdated books and materials which need to be replaced and updated. Teachers could also benefit from increased classroom supply budgets and a reduction in out-of-pocket expenditures.

Elizabeth Langley:

Continue to invest in the basics - high quality educators and employees with good salary and benefit structures, safe and useful facilities and grounds, and increased supports to help children access education and succeed in becoming educated.

Todd Kurowski:

Build more schools or build more capabilities into our Trades programs.

Perhaps investing in effective deterrence measures that discourage external active shooters and make our schools safer without turning them into minimum security prisons.
Additionally invest in modern programs that successfully help those isolated and excluded kids in all our schools (those kids most likely to use violence as a solution to their problems).

Race #4 one 2-year term

Shiva Rajbhandari:

We should ensure that all students have access to the mental health resources they need by hiring more school counselors, psychologists, and mental health support staff.

We should invest in sustainability initiatives and create a long-term plan for clean energy to save millions in the long-run and return money to communities.

We should increase teacher and staff benefits and pay to help reduce class sizes and retain/hire more qualified professionals to educate our youth.

We should continue to use bond funds to update our aging school infrastructure and ensure our schools remain the cornerstones of our Boise community.

Steve Schmidt:

We should invest in our people, our property, and our programs.

People: increased salaries, benefits packages, and professional growth opportunities

Property: facility improvements improving safety and functionality

Programs: increase access and opportunities for our students