Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield on Wednesday announced she is running for a second term.

In a campaign launch video, the Republican says she is focused on getting education “back to the basics.” She touted the state’s gains in career readiness during her tenure and the highest graduation rate in 10 years. Elementary literacy has improved under a renewed push for phonics instruction. Critchfield has also helped ensure parents are the key stakeholder in their kids’ education.

“I remain committed to clear, practical priorities, responsible use of taxpayer dollars and supporting local schools as they meet the unique needs of their communities,” Critchfield said in the video. “We’ve made real progress, but there’s still important work ahead.”

Critchfield was elected in 2022 to a four-year term as the state’s top public education official. She previously served as a Cassia County School District trustee for 10 years and seven years as a member of the Idaho State Board of Education. She lives in Oakley with her husband, where they raised four children.

In her first three years, Critchfield has shown mixed legislative results with success in some areas but no movement on updating the K-12 funding formula, which hasn’t changed since 1994.

In 2023, she helped pass three bills through the Idaho Legislature, including her signature initiative, the Idaho Career Ready Students Program. With an initial investment of $45 million, the program funds career and technical education in grades seven through 12.

“From reading proficiency to career pathways and real-world readiness, we are focused on results that matter to Idaho families,” Critchfield said in a news release. “Our students deserve an education that prepares them not just to graduate but to build a strong future.”

Also in her first year, she passed House Bill 92 to require high schools to teach a financial literacy class and House Bill 163 to reinforce parental rights in education. Another bill she supported that outlined training requirements for school trustees failed.

In 2024, Critchfield succeeded in one of three of her priorities. She helped secure $145 million for school districts to fill a hole left by a shift to attendance-based funding. But two bills — House Bill 595 and House Bill 718 — that would have changed Idaho’s school funding formula failed.

She faced more challenges on that front during the 2025 session.

Critchfield supported a funding formula with different weights for special education students, English language learners, economically disadvantaged students and kids who attend rural schools. Senate Bill 1096 passed in the Senate but was never heard in the House. Another bill that would have created a $3 million high-needs student fund to help kids with disabilities passed in the House but died in the Senate.

Her staff last year also proposed changes to Idaho’s graduation requirements, but Legislators pared down the proposal and created a new high school digital literacy class requirement, which will go into effect in 2028.

For this year’s session, which begins Monday, Critchfield has already walked back her top legislative priority. She proposed in August a $50 million investment in special education but pulled the request last month due to the state’s budget shortfall.

“We want to be careful, we want to be deliberate in what we ask,” Critchfield told State Board of Education members in December. “The first priority for me is to maintain current budget levels.”

No election challengers yet

Critchfield does not appear to have any challengers within her own party or from the Democrats. She’s the only state superintendent candidate to file financial forms with the secretary of state, which is a precursor to running. But Idaho Democrats are prioritizing a challenger. Party Chair Lauren Necochea told EdNews last month that getting a Democrat in the race by the end of January would give them “enough runway.” 

“It’s the statewide office we’ve held most recently as a party,” Necochea said. “It’s the race that we’ve come the closest to winning statewide in recent cycles.”

Critchfield’s campaign has raised $72,000 for the 2026 election cycle, including a $5,000 contribution from Micron Technology.

The filing period to run for office in Idaho is Feb. 23-27. The primary election is May 19 and the general election is Nov. 3.