Kevin’s blog

Boise considers earlier start to 2018-19 school year

The one-week move would allow students to take fall end-of-semester exams before holiday break — and it could yield the Boise district a little bit more state money.

Study: Trump budget could cost Idaho schools $16.1 million

“Idaho simply cannot afford to absorb the costs we would incur if a version of this budget is approved by Congress,” Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy director Lauren Necochea said Tuesday.

K-12 budget: Ybarra jumps off the Trump train

On Tuesday, state superintendent Sherri Ybarra invited Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to come to Idaho and see the effects of potential budget cuts firsthand. Six weeks earlier, Ybarra’s tone was dramatically different.

What voter registrations say about the GOP’s Statehouse dominance

In 19 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, a majority of voters are registered Republicans. Not surprisingly, the GOP holds all 57 House and Senate seats in these 19 districts.

The Trump education budget proposal: What we know so far

The White House will release its 2017-18 budget proposal Tuesday. President Trump wants to cut the U.S. Department of Education budget by 13 percent.

Souza says she’ll make another run at moving trustee elections

Sen. Mary Souza wants to move school board elections onto the general election ballot. A 5.7 percent voter turnout in her home county Tuesday did nothing to change her mind.

DeVos declines education writers’ invite

“(Education Writers Association) has been privileged to hear from every previous education secretary, dating to the Carter administration,” the group said in a message to its members.

Outgoing CDA superintendent to receive an extra $20,000 for consulting

Outgoing Superintendent Matt Handelman’s exit strategy is spelled out in an April 21 amended contract. The Coeur d’Alene Press spent weeks trying to get a copy of the paperwork.

Erpelding praises Tuesday’s school votes, questions GOP priorities

House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, criticized GOP central committees and conservatives that “continue to rail against measures that will benefit all of us.”