Kevin’s blog
Expert analysis and the latest news from award-winning journalist Kevin Richert.
Idaho is growing and growing older. Here’s what that means.
Idaho added nearly 37,000 residents from 2016 to 2017. One-third of them are senior citizens. That’s a big deal for school districts.
State tries to streamline college catalogs … by the numbers
The idea behind common course numbers is to make it easier for students to transfer credits, and give students a clearer idea of what they need to do to get a degree.
Study: Idaho teacher salaries rank lowest in nation
Idaho’s teacher salaries, adjusted for cost of living, rank lowest in the nation and come in 12 percent below the national average. That’s one finding from a larger national salary study from the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution.
Preston teacher pleads not guilty to animal cruelty
The Preston Junior High School teacher is accused of feeding a sick puppy to a snapping turtle. The case could go to a jury trial in October.
Twin Falls to hire 15 unarmed school security staffers
The $375,000 will come from a patchwork of one-time funding sources, and the district will re-evaluate the plan next year, the Twin Falls Times-News reported.
Ybarra won’t face fine over late sunshine report
The state superintendent could have faced a $50-a-day fine, but Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, a fellow Republican, decided to waive the penalty.
ISU seeks to expand on-campus dual-credit offerings
ISU launched the dual-credit program in the fall of 2017, opening classes to 12 high school students. By the spring of 2018, 32 students took part.
Party platforms differ on pre-K funding
During their conventions last weekend, the parties also approved wording on tuition-free college and the Idaho Standards Achievement Test.
Durst files for Boise school board seat
Durst served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2006 to 2010, and in the Senate from 2012 to 2013.
Two perspectives on the Hispanic college graduation gap
Only 12.7 percent of Idaho’s Hispanic adults hold a two- or four-year college degree, the lowest rate in the nation.