Becky Sundin announced Thursday she is running for Idaho superintendent of public instruction as a Democrat.

Sundin, a Nampa resident, was the 2018 Idaho Teacher of the Year. She has lived and taught in Idaho since 2009, according to a news release. Sundin graduated from Northwest Nazarene University, earned a master’s degree at Montana State University-Bozeman and a doctorate in education from Walden University, according to the news release. She is not currently a full-time teacher.

“Idaho families want public schools that work, and they want a leader who will fight for them,” Sundin stated in a news release. “I’m running to be that leader, focused on results like stronger reading outcomes and making sure every student gets the support they need, including fully funded special education.”

She will face Republican Debbie Critchfield in November, unless another candidate files to run before 5 p.m. Friday, when Idaho’s filing period ends.

Critchfield’s campaign has raised $90,655 for the 2026 election cycle, while Sundin has not yet declared a campaign treasurer.

Critchfield received a round of applause at the Idaho Schools Boards Association conference earlier this month for her efforts to reinstate a federal community schools grant that the U.S. Department of Education attempted to cancel. She said she spent hours on the phone trying to get the grant money back.

“I don’t know if I was just in a mood, but I just thought, ‘No, we’re not doing that today,'” Critchfield told trustees on Feb. 16.

Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea told EdNews in December that the party would prioritize the race for state superintendent, and there would be “enough runway” if they have a candidate by the end of January.

“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.”

In Thursday’s news release, Necochea said there is a clear contrast between Sundin and Critchfield. While Sundin has spent more than two decades in the classroom, Critchfield has never been a full-time educator.

“Idaho students and educators deserve leadership from someone who understands what it takes from the front of the room,” Necochea stated.

As the state faces a special education funding gap, Sundin has personal experience in that area. She has a son with autism and has seen firsthand how special education services can change a child’s life, according to the news release.

“I’ve seen the best of what Idaho public education can offer, and I’ve seen what happens when politics gets in the way of serving students,” Sundin stated. “Instead of distractions and rapid rule changes, we should be using data to improve instruction, funding schools responsibly, and building schools where every student is prepared for college, careers, and the future.”