Education

Idaho’s Education Improvement Task Force finished a statewide listening tour Thursday night in Boise. The group was created to recommend ways to improve the state’s schools after voters repealed an education overhaul last November.

Thursday night’s public meeting was well attended compared to some past meetings. About 200 people squeezed into the state capital building’s Lincoln Auditorium and 37 spoke. It lasted more than two and a half hours.

Idaho’s Task Force for Improving Education wraps up a series of public meetings Thursday in Boise. The task force’s final public listening meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the state capital. 

It has been traveling Idaho for two weeks. The group’s goal is to put together recommendations for overhauling the state’s education system that can find broad support.

Idaho public university students can expect a higher price tag on their tuition bills next fall.

The state Board of Education voted Wednesday to hike tuition at all four public universities — though not all university presidents got exactly what they requested.

Trustees approved a 6.9 percent hike at Boise State University and increases between 4 and 5 percent for the University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College.

It’s been a tough year in the Nampa School District after a $5.1 million budget shortfall surfaced last August. That has led to deep cuts including a near elimination of money for substitute teachers. Now tension between the district and the teacher’s union is growing.

Mandy Simpson teaches math and coaches golf in Nampa. She's also the president of the Nampa Education Association. She’s been in the district almost ten years.

Five schools in southeast Idaho received violent threats this morning, disrupting classes, as police searched the schools. Boise High, Skyview High School in Nampa, Kuna High, and the Twin Falls Christian Academy all were evacuated after bomb threats were called in. Caldwell High School received a threat about a shooter.

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho State Board of Education has announced the formation of a 16-member search committee to select a new president for the University of Idaho.

The board announced the selection Wednesday and that University of Idaho Regent Emma Atchley will lead the panel.

The board is tasked with finding a successor to Duane Nellis, who is leaving to become president of Texas Tech University.

Updated 1:00 p.m.: Students at Boise High have been allowed back in after a bomb threat was received earlier this morning. Classes will resume this afternoon after police used bomb sniffing dogs to check student bags.

The all-clear has been given to Kuna High School students, where classes have resumed.

Idaho’s Education Improvement Task Force has started a statewide tour seeking public comment. The group was put together by the State Board of Education. It's been meeting since January to talk about ways to improve Idaho’s education system. It kicked off a seven city public meeting tour Wednesday night in Nampa. About 60 people attended and 19 spoke. Fewer than a third of the members of the 31 person task force attended the forum.