The EdNews Show

Schools chief Sherri Ybarra told education leaders to brace for another round of budget cuts, this time cutting the 2020-21 budget that kicks in July 1. We will explain how big the cuts could be and what to look for.

We focus this week's episode on two major decisions; The State Board of Education's reopening criteria and Gov. Brad Little's decision to extend the statewide stay-home order through the end of the month. We'll break down how the two decisions interest with each other, and how how these debates are quickly turning political.

This week the State Board of Education made the historic decision to close schools through the end of the academic year. But there is a catch. Local school leaders will be able to attempt to re-open if they meet a list of forthcoming criteria and get approval from local public health officials.

Plus, an existential crisis looms over Idaho's vacant college campuses. Co-host Kevin Richert breaks down the uncertainty universities are facing.

School leaders are beginning to ask how the 1 percent budget holdbacks Gov. Brad Little announced last week will affect public schools, given that the cuts will be absorbed during the end of the year. We know the impact will be about $19 million and federal stimulus funds will soon be on the way and could offset that. Plus, the State Board of Education is considering the statewide school closure beyond April 20.

Episode 204: Idaho Ramps Up Coronavirus Response by Idaho EdNews

Most Idaho schools have closed amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, but Gov. Brad Little has so far declined to call for a statewide closure. Meanwhile, the virus has spread across more Idaho counties and Little announced an isolation order for Blaine County on Thursday afternoon. All the while, the Legislature kept working. We'll explain how the situation at the Statehouse went from surreal to scary.

Gov. Brad Little declared a state of emergency across Idaho on Friday in an effort to help minimize the spread of coronavirus. We'll explain what the declaration means and what the Little said. Meanwhile, Little and state superintendent Sherri Ybarra are not pushing to close schools. Plus, where does the Legislature stand with all of this as the session rages on?

This week the Legislature's joint budget committee unveiled the 2020-21 public school budgets. Find out what programs are in line to get funded, and why state superintendent Sherri Ybarra could lose nearly $3 million and 18 full-time positions from her State Department of Education office budget. Plus, the latest on a controversial transgender athletics bill.

It’s a milestone for us — Episode 200 of the “Extra Credit” podcast — and another full week of news from the Statehouse.

Listen as Clark Corbin and Kevin Richert get you caught up on teacher salaries, transgender athletics, school election dates and more.

And we take a deeper dive into Idaho’s much-touted “60 percent goal,” an education initiative the state’s leaders aren’t talking much about these days.

Come back next week for Episode 201!

Idaho Falls Republican Rep. Barbara Ehardt pushed two controversial bills at the Statehouse this week. The first would ban transgender girls from participating in girls' sports. The other is a sex ed bill that would require parents to opt-in their children for them to take part in any instruction on human sexuality or discussion or sexual orientation.

Plus, a $225 million teacher pay plan made its debut in the Legislature.