Kevin’s blog

Expert analysis and the latest news from award-winning journalist Kevin Richert.

Evaluating the job of K-12 evaluations

Here’s what two Idaho legislative auditors have to say about their job, and the politics inherent to the process.

This week’s topics: West Ada School Board turmoil, and Gov. Butch Otter’s reaction to the latest statewide teacher evaluations.

The Senate has started work on its own rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law. President Obama has threatened to veto the House’s bill.

Two new West Ada trustees question Superintendent Linda Clark’s contract extension. A Caldwell trustee responds to a recall drive.

Gov. Butch Otter knew of the Idaho Education Network budget crunch three months before his administration informed lawmakers.

The recall effort targets two of the three trustees who voted to oust Superintendent Tim Rosandick and deputy Luci Asumendi.

A new White House report focused on the states’ lowest-performing public schools.

A majority of Idahoans oppose the new Common Core standards, according to an Idaho Politics Weekly survey released Monday.

A Caldwell teacher and a former Meridian teacher received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Gov. Butch Otter is also looking for a director to focus Idaho’s efforts in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines.