Group guiding education in Idaho for next 5 years has been selected. See who made the list
Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday announced the members of his new task force that will craft a five-year blueprint for improvement of, and investment in, Idaho’s K-12 public education system.
The 26-member task force is comprised of teachers, school administrators, education stakeholders, business leaders and legislators from across the state.
Little has directed the group to review the K-12 budget to align investments with the priorities, with the overall goals of improving student achievement, identifying a framework to successfully measure student success, recruit and retain teachers, and other issues.
“The ‘Our Kids, Idaho’s Future’ Task Force will adopt a broad-based, collaborative process to examine our public education system, with an emphasis on improving student achievement and accountability to parents and taxpayers,” Little said in a news release.
The group plans to hold its first meeting June 3 in Boise. Its initial set of recommendations are due to Little in early November.
The new task force is a follow-up to the education task force assembled by former Gov. Butch Otter in 2013.
As the fifth year of Otter’s five-year education plan concludes, Little announced during his inaugural state of the state address in January that he is creating a new initiative and task force to help craft the state’s next long-term plan.
“It’s important to build on the progress this state has made in helping Idaho students succeed in school and beyond, and set ambitious goals for the next five years,” said task force member and Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra in a written statement.
Our Kids, Idaho’s Future Task Force members:
Co-chairwoman Debbie Critchfield, Idaho State Board of Education president
Co-chairman Bill Gilbert, Caprock co-founder and managing director, Boise
Juan Alvarez, INL deputy director management and operations, Idaho Falls
Marc Beitia, American Falls High School teacher and 2019 Idaho Teacher of the Year
Cheryl Charlton, Idaho Digital Learning Academy superintendent
Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls
Rep. Mat Erpelding, D-Boise
Katherine Hart, Melaleuca associate general counsel, Idaho Falls
Jody Hendrickx, St. Maries School District trustee and Idaho School Boards Association vice president
Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls
Shawn Keough, Associated Logging Contractors executive director, Coeur d’Alene
Pete Koehler, retired chief deputy superintendent and former Nampa High School principal and superintendent
Kurt Liebich, RedBuilt CEO, Boise
Erin McCandless, Idaho State PTA president
Rep. Gary Marshall, R-Idaho Falls
Rep. Jason Monks, R-Nampa
Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls
Kari Overall, Idaho Education Association president
Jennifer Parkins, Genesee Joint School District board chairwoman and Idaho School Boards Association president
Mary Ann Ranells, West Ada School District superintendent
Terry Ryan, Bluum CEO, Boise
Luke Schroeder, Kimberly School District superintendent
Matt Van Vleet, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories government affairs director, Lewiston
Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise
Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise
Sherri Ybarra, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction