Kevin’s blog

How should Idaho spend the $33.9 million that has been earmarked for education reform? Very cautiously, say members of the Senate Education Committee.

Hours before a scheduled committee hearing, Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, pulled back on his idea to make public schools off-limits to violent offenders.

The 2013 legislative session is picking up. Here’s the latest on two education items: an early graduation program and the cursive writing proposal.

Sen. Branden Durst says fellow Senate Democrats made the move to protest a series of labor bills. But Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett says it was not a caucus decision.

About 100 educators showed up for Monday’s hearing before the Legislature’s education committees, according to the Idaho Education Association.

What did educators and superintendents say Monday about Idaho schools? Not surprisingly, much of the testimony came back to money.

If the Legislature makes public schools off-limits to convicted violent criminals, what will become of these students? The principal of an alternative high school has her reservations.

One reason why things are moving slow this year might be because there are so many freshman lawmakers.

The bill is designed to keep ex-convicts from returning to public schools. Idaho’s Correction Department is concerned that this would apply to conventional and alternative schools alike.

Butch Otter said he won’t be “pushed into a calendar.” But on Friday, he sounded like a governor with every intention of trying to stay there.