Kevin’s blog

Crapo rips federal cuts to rural schools

Rural counties and school districts are paying the price — unfairly — for federal budget cuts, Idaho Republican Sen. Mike Crapo said Wednesday.

Which lawmakers will study K-12 this summer?

The answer to this question — and questions about other summer legislative committee assignments — will come Thursday morning.

Key budgeting week for Nampa School District

The Nampa School Board will talk budget Tuesday night. And then, on Friday, the district and the local teachers’ union sit down for a negotiating session.

Per-pupil spending: a family factor?

Idaho consistently ranks near the bottom nationally in per-pupil spending. Are the state’s family demographics a factor?

Nonini campaigns in School Board races

It is a little like deja vu all over again. State Sen. Bob Nonini, no stranger to weighing in during election season, signed a campaign letter last week endorsing two Post Falls School Board candidates.

A Middleton School Board election do-over

Twenty-three Middleton voters were given the wrong ballots Tuesday — and were allowed to vote in what turned out to be a deadlocked School Board race. Canyon County will have to hold the election again.

Meridian plans 2014 school bond issue

During the Treasure Valley’s housing and population boom, bond issues were almost a routine event in Meridian. Next spring, the state’s largest district could run a bond issue for the first time in nine years.

Endowment watch: State assets reach record

With a record $1.46 billion in assets, payments to state endowment beneficiaries should increase by at least $1.2 million in 2013-14. And public schools would be likely to see most of this increase.

Another Boise principal on the move

Rick Bollman is moving from Cynthia Mann Elementary School to Maple Grove Elementary School — bringing to nine the number of Boise schools that will have new leaders in 2013-14.

Indiana pauses Common Core. Now what?

Indiana has opted to put Common Core State Standards on hold — throwing the state’s school system into turmoil. The takeaway point: repealing or delaying the standards is a murky, messy proposition.