Kevin’s blog

Personal property tax repeal: the latest

A bill to repeal the personal property tax may finally surface in the next few days. How will the details affect school districts?

Kevin Richert

College costs: running some numbers

The conventional wisdom holds that higher education in Idaho remains a bargain. Does the theory hold up? A new website allows students and parents to judge for themselves.

Senators: Use $34 million for one-time needs

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

Kevin Richert

Ex-convict expulsion bill on hold (UPDATED)

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.

Catching up at the Statehouse, 2.13.13

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

Kevin Richert

Did Democrats boycott lunch with ISBA?

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.

IEA: Administrators ‘dominated’ listening session

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

Kevin Richert

Listening session: Politicos, public get an earful

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

Expulsion bill: an alternative school’s take

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.

Kevin Richert

If the 2013 session seems slow …

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