Voices

DOGS are running loose in Nampa elementary school

Dads of Great Students is a national program that encourages male role models to get involved in children’s lives and education. Last spring a teacher, who had seen the Watch DOG program successfully implemented in another school, suggested it would work at Iowa Elementary School.

Experts take a closer look at rural schools

Americans can do much better for rural students and educators. Government needs to recognize the difference between megadistricts and tiny, remote ones. Technical innovators need to develop more options for rural schools, and philanthropies need to pay attention. Universities need to prepare educators for the challenges of rural leadership and teaching.

Pilot test will provide teachers with valuable information

Three powerful education groups that represent teachers, trustees and administrators align to support the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.

Why do I volunteer to be a school board member?

My father taught me that we are all in this together. Life is a shared mission. A united purpose.

The three attitudes of Idaho education

Indifference
Don’t Rock the Boat
Fear

Is education Idaho’s top priority?

If our elected leaders take the same approach to education that they have for many years—offering minimal, inadequate support—we can expect the same results: grossly unequal opportunity and not enough graduates continuing beyond high school.

For the sake of children and teachers: Opt out

We have reached a testing crisis in Idaho and Common Core hasn’t helped. As a current high school English teacher, I know. We are over-testing children, including the new eight-hour Common Core test: the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC).

Ideas for improving the governor’s budget

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy proposes a reallocation of available resources to increase investment in Idaho education.

Charter commission should stand on its own

After 10 years, it is time to give the state’s Public Charter School Commission its operational freedom so it can get on with its mission of helping provide great choices for Idaho’s students and families.

TFA helps high-need schools and subject areas

We know that the best way to continually improve is in partnership with veteran educators, experts across fields, community organizations, families and our students.