The task force meant to develop recommendations to improve education in Idaho could be called a team of rivals. Many of its 31 members have squared off, sometimes bitterly, in the past two years over the Students Come First education laws. Voters repealed those laws last November through three ballot propositions.
As we told you last week the group’s first meeting is Friday. Members will talk about what their job will be, their process for doing it and sketch out a timeline. Governor Butch Otter, who asked the State Board of Education to create the task force, says if the group comes up with legislative recommendations to have them ready for the 2014 legislative session.
Here’s the list of committee members:
Richard Westerberg, Chair State Board of Education
Doug Baker, University of Idaho
Laurie Boeckel, Idaho Parent Teacher Association
Roger Brown, Governor's Office
Cheryl Charlton, Idaho Digital Learning Academy
Linda Clark, IASA, Joint School Dist. No. 2 (Meridian)
Penni Cyr, Idaho Education Association (IEA)
Reed DeMordaunt (R), Idaho House of Representatives
Karen Echeverria, Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA)
Ken Edmunds, State Board of Education
Wayne Freedman, ISBA Past President
John Goedde (R), Idaho State Senate
Steve Higgins, IASA, Grangeville School Dist.
Mary Huff, ISBA, Melba School Board Member
Teresa Jackman, IEA, Pocatello
Alex LaBeau, Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry
Mike Lanza, IEA, ID Parents & Teachers IPATT
Rod Lewis, State Board of Education
Bob Lokken, Idaho Business for Education
Tom Luna, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Alan Millar, Idaho Charter School Network
Phyllis Nichols, Counselor, New Plymouth School Dist.
Katie Pemberton, Coeur d’Alene School Dist.
Roger Quarles, Idaho Leads Project
Mary Ann Ranells, IASA, Lakeland School Dist.
Anne Ritter, ISBA President, Meridian School Board Member
Brian Smith, IEA, Sandpoint
Geoffrey Thomas, IASA, Madison School Dist.
Janie Ward-Engelking (D), Idaho House of Representatives
Cindy Wilson, IEA, Meridian
Rob Winslow, Idaho Association of School Administrators (IASA)