Education

In July, 28 GOP Idaho house members sent a letter to Boise State University criticizing the school’s diversity and inclusion programs at the school. Now, Boise State’s College Republicans and Young Democrats are sponsoring a forum with legislators about the issue. Presidents of the student politcal clubs join Idaho Matters to preview the event next Tuesday, October 22  which will take place in the Simplot Ballroom. 

This interview originally aired June 20, 2019. 

Author Ridley Pearson has built a career on writing suspense novels for young adult readers. His latest project is writing a comic book portraying the children of Superman and Batman for DC Comics. Pearson is also a guest author on the PBS television series, Kid Stew, featured on Idaho Public Television. Pearson joins Idaho Matters to talk about his work and what inspires his writing.

According to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, Idaho higher education ranks 49th in the nation when it comes to how much revenue is collected for each student. So does that mean Idaho’s colleges and universities are underfunded? Idaho EdNews dug deeper into the report and breaks down their findings on Idaho Matters.  

The Booth Marian Pritchett School has a 96-year history in Boise. Its goal is keeping pregnant girls and parenting teens in school, but their infrastructure needed an upgrade. After years of fundraising, the new school will open as part of the Salvation Army's updated community center. Idaho Matters speaks to the organization about how the new school will keep young parents educated.

Last week, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra called a meeting of her "Red Tape Committee," a group of 18 education leaders formed to reduce red tape in the Department of Education. But the public and the press were kept out and the meeting was held behind closed doors. Clark Corbin from Idaho Ed News joins Idaho Matters to talk about why the meeting was kept secret.

This segment originally aired May 21, 2019. 

Idaho's average teacher pay has declined by 6.4% since 2009, adjusted for inflation. Some advocates says this makes it difficult for the state to retain experienced teachers. We learn more about this issue, and what the Idaho Education Association thinks should be done about it. 

Five years into a pre-K pilot program, the Boise School District is doubling down.

Free pre-kindergarten classes will open Monday at Garfield and Whittier elementary schools, as the district seeks to expand early education in neighborhoods with high poverty rates.

In recent years, alternative housing has become a popular solution to the increasing cost and the environmental impact of traditional building materials. Caldwell-based company indieDwell specializes in building modular housing using shipping containers. They are now partnering with the College of Idaho to create dorms using this modular construction method. Idaho Matters talks to both parties about the future of dorms and innovations of housing.

What do you do in the case of a school shooter? Idaho Matters features a two-part series that dives deep into this question. Mountain West News Bureau reporter Rae Ellen Bichell talks to a group of teachers who are being trained to deal with the terrifying scenario -- by being armed. In the second part of this series, we follow Guns & America reporter Leigh Paterson to learn more about how students are being prepared to protect themselves in an era of mass shootings. 

The University of Idaho received a $1 million grant to fund 12 Native American doctoral students beginning in 2020. The grant is from the National Science Foundation, with the aim of getting more Native American students to earn their Ph.D in science, technology, engineering and math fields. We talk with the University of Idaho's dean of graduate studies about why the grant is important.

A couple of Boise elementary schools have been piloting a pre-K program since 2015. Four years later, the program is expanding. In fact, twice as many Boise schools are now offering pre-K.

Wildland firefighters spend the summer season working in the state and beyond, but fires don't just end by the start of the new school year.

Marlene Tromp didn’t shy away from controversy in her first campus address as president of Boise State University Wednesday morning.

When Idaho’s State Board of Education announced this spring that Marlene Tromp would be the next president of Boise State University, the crowd at the Stueckle Sky Center erupted in applause. After more than a year-long search, the university would have a new leader. 

Idaho Education News reported Monday that only 21% of Idaho School Districts protect both sexual orientation and gender identity through their policies. Slightly larger percentages protect sexual orientation or gender identity individually.

C. Scott Green took over as the new University of Idaho President last month. Green is now the fourth University of Idaho President in only 10 years. This Thursday, he appeared on Idaho Matters to discuss his new role and the challenges that come with it.

Idaho Matters sits down with the University of Idaho’s new president C. Scott Green. He left a lucrative career on the east coast to come back to his roots. He attended UI in the 1980s and his grandfather was the athletic director at the university who raised money to build the Kibbie Dome. He shares his vision of the future of the university.

Idaho Ed News is reporting that during the 2018-2019 school year 98% of teachers in the Gem State got either the highest score or the second highest score. Teacher evaluations are more than just a benchmark. They’re tied to some of the money a teacher can earn.

It’s time to go back to school. That has parents juggling a thousand details. For some kiddos, it’s a time of worry and anxiety. How can kids and parents cope with that very normal anxiety? Dr. Ron Larsen of Optum Idaho has some tips.

Monday, Boise High officials will come to the school board meeting with a plan to change their mascot. Since the 1920s, the high school’s mascot has been the “Braves.” The new mascot would be “Boise Brave.” The Idaho Statesman broke this story and we check in to look at the history, and the future, of the mascot.

Terry Gawlik will become University of Idaho’s first female athletic director when she takes over the job Sept. 1. The move comes nearly a year after former Athletic Director Rob Spear was fired for improperly reporting sexual assault allegations.

On Monday, we talked to Nicole Foy with the Idaho Statesman about emails she uncovered from Idaho republicans that could mean that the legislature might try to ban DACA students from getting Idaho Opportunity Scholarships. What exactly are these scholarships, are “Dreamers” getting them now and why have they been controversial with lawmakers in the past?

Can DACA students receive an Idaho Opportunity Scholarship? That idea is sparking debate among some lawmakers and the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Is it possible, is it legal and will legislators ban Dreamers from the scholarships? Idaho Matters takes a look.

The Idaho Office of School Safety was created by the Idaho Legislature in 2016. Its mission is to help public schools create safer learning environments. The office assesses each school campus for threats and vulnerabilities and offers mitigation strategies. Idaho Matters finds out about a new video that deals with school safety issues.