IDAHO
Lottery fever: record revenues for schools
Public schools hit a $30.1 million jackpot Tuesday — as K-12 received the bulk of a record-setting dividend from lottery ticket sales.
Challis leader takes job in Wyoming
In other news, an Idaho teacher is hoping to connect educators with a blog and Twitter feed, Nampa teacher wins award and superintendents’ meeting to be held this month.
Nampa’s newbies settle in to face challenges
For newly elected Nampa school trustees Mike Fuller and Brian McGourty, the job starts with digging the district out of a financial crisis. But the work doesn’t end there.
Anti-union watchdog: IEA membership dropping
According to a new report, Idaho Education Association membership dropped by nearly one-fifth over a three-year period — only three states saw a steeper decline. The IEA neither confirmed nor denied the numbers, saying membership is “very fluid.”
Negotiating school districts turn to mediators
Twin Falls teachers and district officials were able to work quickly once they sat down with a mediator July 2. Across the state in the Bonneville Joint School district, talks are on hold until late August.
Common Core readiness: Idaho’s grades mixed
Idaho gets middle-of-the-pack grades in a new national study on the Common Core transition. However, according to the report, “no state is performing as well as we need it to.”
Common Core training ramps up in Boise
The state contracted with Discovery Education to help teachers develop strategies to use Discovery’s educational media and technology in their teaching of Idaho Core Standards.
Public lands committee will meet in August
Will the Idaho Legislature demand the transfer of federal lands — putting 5 percent of the proceeds from lands sales into the public school endowment? A legislative committee will meet Aug. 9 to hold its first meeting on the issue.
Nampa teachers bring retention to forefront
With teacher turnover rates projected at 18 to 20 percent, about 100 Nampa teachers and community members rallied and crammed into Tuesday night’s School Board meeting. Labor negotiations are scheduled to resume next week.
Teach for America’s rollout in Idaho
The nonprofit group places new college graduates in impoverished schools, and has an aggressive growth plan. Teach for America hopes to place 30 teachers in Idaho in 2014-15, according to the group director working on the rollout.