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Idaho schools have at least 700 teacher vacancies — and a scarcity of qualified applicants. Said one administrator, “The crisis that we have been talking about for the last 10 years is here.”

At least 11 Idaho school districts and charter schools will start next school year with new leaders in place, and two are still searching.

They directed Interim Superintendent Greg Russell to develop a new process over the summer, after their May decision to remove 22 books earned national attention.

“We’re still learning what happened,” said Guy Bliesner, a regional analyst for Idaho’s school safety and security program, which reviews and recommends safety protocols at Idaho’s public K-12 campuses.

Idaho charter school advocates are pushing back. “Mother knows best. Let us choose,” one parent’s sign read.

At least nine of the schools received nearly $81 million in private financing to start up and stabilize their operations over the last seven months.

More money. More variables. Administrators and local union leaders are trying to figure out how to spend a huge increase in K-12 budgets — in hopes of keeping teachers in Idaho classrooms.

Push Back Idaho was founded by parents — for parents — and has added over 200 members in a year.