News

The latest and breaking news and investigative reports about Idaho public education.

Statehouse roundup, 2.4.2022: Feds could feed another $74 million into school lunch program

INSIDE: Legislation expanding scholarship eligibility, creating a charter building fund and making a teacher pay change all moved forward Friday.

Two Idaho teachers reprimanded for misconduct

State education watchdogs issued warnings and temporary punishments against two educators.

Analysis: Idaho’s school building problems have been neglected for years

Because state officials consider school construction and maintenance a local responsibility, they’ve gotten careless with Idaho’s 46 million square feet of school buildings.

Statehouse roundup, 2.3.22: School employee health insurance boost heads to governor

The Idaho Senate easily passed a bill Thursday that would establish a fund to hold more money for school employees’ health insurance.

Bonuses ease the scramble for substitute teachers

Lured by the added money, dozens of adults have applied to be substitutes in Nampa and Kuna, and they are willing to sub the “notoriously” difficult days of Mondays and Fridays.

Idaho Senate passes ‘self-directed learner’ bill

The proposal would allow high-performing students greater flexibility in their education, said the bill’s sponsor Sen. Steven Thayn, R-Emmett.

Public records show McGeachin billed nearly $17,000 for her own legal fees in records lawsuit

Taxpayers are not on the hook for the latest invoices for McGeachin’s own legal representation, McGeachin wrote in a letter to a budget analyst from the Legislative Services Office on Monday, according to documents obtained by the Sun.

Sitting it out: Idaho’s college go-on rate falls once again

Only 37% of the state’s high school graduates went straight to college last fall — the lowest rate since at least 2014. State Board of Education officials aren’t exactly sure what happened.

Idaho Senate passes $600 million income tax bill without grocery tax repeal amendment

The largest tax cut in state history now heads to the governor’s desk.

Statehouse roundup, 2.1.22: New anti-mask mandate bill surfaces

Also, the House State Affairs recycled a proposal to require school districts and other local governments to wait before rerunning a failed bond issue.