Voices

Many of these communities are in crisis, and nowhere is this more apparent than in public education. It is time to elect leaders with vision and courage so that the rural communities our forebears worked so hard to create can remain vibrant for the benefit of all Idahoans – especially our children.

Its goal is to remove the politics and angst from the conversation and get to the heart of what is right for Idaho students, teachers, and our communities large and small. It will require all of us to ensure it succeeds.

So here’s the deal, and it’s one that is tempting to swallow: Teachers in Idaho, you are being bribed to give up rights that you are entitled now in order to receive a rise in your compensation. It is tempting.

This is an exciting time for education. Today teachers and students have more opportunities than they ever have had in the past.

The Mountain Home educator running for superintendent has a strong foundation and teaching background.

Tiered licensure for accountability and a career ladder are the best opportunity we will have in the foreseeable future to significantly increase pay for Idaho’s teachers.

Give people across the K–12 sector, especially those at the school-level, freedom to try new things.

Students in one Idaho school are taking dozens of field trips to educational sites around the world each school year.

This September we have the opportunity to learn from three outstanding education leaders: Nancy Grasmick, the former superintendent of the Maryland Public Schools; David Driscoll, the former Massachusetts Commissioner of Education; and Eric Smith, the former Florida Education Commissioner.