Kevin’s blog

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

Nonini speaks on school tax credit bill

Sen. Bob Nonini opens up with a Chicago-based free-market group — and says he hasn’t given up on a bill to provide income tax credits to encourage donations to private school scholarships.

Endowment watch: Big changes at Priest Lake

Rising lease rates and competitive bidding add up to big changes for Priest Lake cabin owners — and, perhaps, changes for the public schools’ endowment.

Will Tom Luna seek a third term?

State superintendent Tom Luna will decide on his re-election plans by year’s end. And two considerations will factor into his decision.

Charter plight hits home for lawmaker

Reed DeMordaunt — the chairman of the House Education Committee and the father of two North Star Charter School students — is hoping the Eagle school figures out a way to erase a $640,000 shortfall.

In Dietrich, a teacher’s ‘fight back’

An Idaho science teacher, under fire for sex education classes, is receiving some support from his rural community.

Eagle charter school faces debt, closure

The Meridian School District has sent North Star Charter School a “notice of defect,” due to the K-12 school’s deep debt.

More bad news for Nampa: a lawsuit

The financially troubled Nampa School District is being taken to court — by its teachers’ union — over unpaid furlough days.

Analysis: The session’s last big K-12 debate

Thursday’s debate, over a final school labor law, touched on some important themes: Propositions 1, 2 and 3, local control — and money.

The K-12 impasse: an analysis

A week after the Senate rejected one $1.308 billion public schools budget, the Legislature is poised to pass a slightly different $1.308 billion budget. This stalemate was all about nuance and process.

Yes, the numbers ARE identical

The dollar figure in the K-12 budget hasn’t changed a penny from the budget rejected just a week ago. And that in itself is noteworthy.