Idaho Education News Monday published a voter guide for legislative races in the upcoming primary election.  We asked candidates about their most important education priorities and where they stand on controversial education issues dividing the Legislature: school choice and Idaho Launch, Gov. Brad Little’s fledgling workforce training scholarship program.  All 105 seats in the Legislature are up for election this year, but our voter guide doesn’t cover all of them. We selected races with an education nexus — contests with education committee members, for example, or races that featu ..read more

With only 22 days until the May primaries, campaign contributions and spending are picking up quickly. So between now and May 21, we will highlight some of the newsiest activity at this blog. Payback on tax credit bill? Heavily funded by advocates for private education, an Idaho group has poured $59,467.85 into a handful of GOP legislative primaries. The Idaho Federation for Children PAC is supporting three Republican incumbents facing contested primaries: Sens. Chuck Winder of Boise and Julie VanOrden of Pingree, and Rep. Wendy Horman of Idaho Falls. The PAC is also opposing three House Repub ..read more

North Idaho College could be staring at a $5.2 million budget hole. On Wednesday night, trustees discussed a 2024-25 spending plan — and tried to get a handle on the potential deficit. According to the Coeur d’Alene Press, much of the projected deficit is tied to NIC’s return to the National Junior College Athletics Association. That move could carry a $4.1 million price tag. Trustee Todd Banducci questioned the $4.1 million estimate. “I understand being risk averse, but let’s tone down some of the rhetoric,” said Banducci, according to Kaye Thornbrugh of the Press. “It’s almost like it’s a ne ..read more

Idaho’s public education system narrowly escaped some dramatic damage this legislative session: the relentless push for school vouchers. These government-funded private school scholarships divert taxpayer dollars away from our local schools while benefiting the wealthiest families in our state. As a former member of the Bonneville School District Board of Trustees who should understand the dangers of vouchers, it is disappointing that Rep. Wendy Horman is a champion of said vouchers. Horman’s website clearly states that “Wendy is a passionate advocate for Idaho’s children to receive a quality ..read more

Built in 1954, Cottonwood’s school gymnasium has an aging entryway and single-stall restrooms. An $855,000 upgrade is part of the district’s five- to 10-year plan. Cottonwood could use a federal program to help get the job done. Superintendent Jon Rehder says it’s the best way, and basically the only way, to use the federal funding. “I consider it soft money, because you never know what the federal government is going to do,” Rehder said Wednesday. Cottonwood and other rural school districts got some good news earlier this week. They could share close to $7 million from Secure Rural Schoo ..read more

The Idaho Falls School District spent nearly $124,000 on attorneys’ fees in two legal cases that have made headlines over the past years, according to invoices obtained through a public records request. That total includes $58,200 spent defending the district’s former superintendent, James Shank, and former communications director, Margaret Wimborne, against allegations that they violated the public integrity in elections act by using public dollars to promote a $250 million bond that ultimately failed in the November 2022 election.  Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal charged the dis ..read more

I have witnessed unprecedented growth in state spending during my six years of legislative service, from a total budget of $8 billion to $14 billion, with budget growth averaging 10% per year. Despite the double-forked promises stereotypical politicians may offer, this trajectory is unsustainable. Idaho can’t continually increase government spending at these levels AND reduce taxes while still balancing the budget. State budget proposals are written by the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC) and then voted on by both the House and Senate. When I was first elected, legislators were ..read more

A new lawsuit is challenging Idaho’s long-standing constitutional provision that bars religious institutions — including private schools — from receiving taxpayer resources.  Last week, Truth Family Bible Church of Middleton filed a federal lawsuit claiming Idaho’s Blaine Amendment infringes on religious and free speech rights protected under the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Idaho, could have weighty implications in Idaho’s ongoing debate over school choice, a catchall term that describes directing taxpayer funds to private education through voucher ..read more

The Middleton City Council leaped headfirst into the tussle between overcrowded classrooms and incessant subdivision growth spreading throughout the Treasure Valley. The council voted 3-1 Wednesday in favor of Ordinance 693 School Capacity and Preliminary Plat Approval, amending subdivision development requirements. Now, lots for new homes won’t be approved if they are projected to overcrowd schools (bringing a school above 110% of capacity). The unprecedented new law challenging residential development that harms education could ripple across the state, providing a lifeline for districts unab ..read more

In a rural district like Gooding in Southern Idaho, a student living outside of town used to go through quite the process to get summer lunch. First, they would need to find a ride to drive them the 20-30 minutes into town where organizers were serving a meal at a lunch site (park, library, church, community center, etc.). The adult would need to sit with them while they ate their meal, and then drive them back to their home. This is because the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), who fully funds the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), required all students to eat their free summer ..read more