IDAHO
More than 200,000 student debtors in Idaho to benefit from loan forgiveness, White House says
Federal loan data suggest one in three Idahoans could have federal student debt wiped out.
Ybarra gives out more than $600,000 in staff bonuses, a one-year record
Awarded before and after the May GOP primary, the across-the-board bonuses amount to a one-time, 9% pay boost. And they come as State Department of Education staffers also receive across-the-board, permanent 7% pay raises.
Just two districts to impose emergency levies this year
The Jefferson County and New Plymouth school districts will collect property taxes to offset the cost of local enrollment growth this year — without the need for approval from patrons.
Political payback? One wealthy donor may have influenced GOP primary defeats
Campaign finance complaint alleges Larry and Marianne Williams over-contributed to candidates by thousands of dollars
More educators apply to temporarily work in positions they’re unqualified to fill
The uptick in emergency provisional certifications could be caused by a statewide teacher shortage in hard-to-fill positions or the state’s improved communication on the process.
Micron’s expansion could boost STEM funding to Idaho schools
The goal of the Micron Foundation is to remove barriers for underserved students and create opportunities for young adults to work in the semiconductor field.
An ‘unprecedented flood’ of book bans engulfs U.S. school districts, PEN report says
The list includes 26 books that three Idaho school districts have banned this year.
Three rural districts boost early-learning programs with grant dollars
Nezperce, Castleford, and Homedale will use the funds for pre-k programs.
Analysis: Here’s another thing the ‘porn literacy’ sex ed narrative gets wrong
The Idaho Freedom Foundation says the state is pushing an extreme sex education curriculum on its schools. In a local-control state — where sex education is optional — that narrative doesn’t square with reality.
Analysis: Here’s why Idaho’s other legislative election matters
The Nov. 8 races will help shape legislative leadership. And that, in turn, will help to shape the committees that write budgets and craft education policy. Here are four election hotspots to watch.