Debbie Critchfield: “The key to school funding is modernizing budgets”
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Education is a hot button topic that continues discussions across the state.
With the New Year underway, Local News 8 wanted to sit down with Idaho's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Debbie Critchfield.
Critchfield says ad Idaho's advocate for education, she is digging deep into the funding issue this legislative session. She says it's not about more money, but about modernizing funding.
"We have been working with a wide variety of people from around the state, and eastern part of the state on modernizing funding, how they support schools and the operational costs they have," says Critchfield.
From bussing students to school to feeding them lunch, everything is costing more these days. To meet the need, Critchfield isn't talking higher taxes. She's getting out the microscope.
"I think that’s one of the most important things we can do this coming year, again, working with our legislators to work with the dollars that are appropriated from the state to what we want our outcomes to be."
That includes not only making sure schools have resources, but getting them back to the basics.
“That’s one of the most significant parts of wanting to modernize funding, is that we are paying for the things we expect - reading, math. Getting back to those basics, the proficiencies we would like to see in those core subjects with our kids.”
Critchfield continually referenced student-focused funding. Local News 8 asked what's been going on in years past - and the answer may surprise you.
“There are so many factors that go into funding schools, and those haven’t been reviewed, and really looked at in 20 years, and I’m very confident is saying the hallways of our schools look very different than they did 20 years ago."
Critchfield says she realizes it is not a one-size-fits all formula. For some districts, it can cost $8,000 a year per student; for others, $17,000.
“And frankly to talk to our community members, we all feel it, I’m a taxpayer too, and we have fell this burden of supplemental levies and bonds, what can we do to really analyze what the state contributes, the local verses the federal, which incidentally the federal portion of contribution is the smallest portion.”
In ending the interview, Critchfield reflected on one of her most memorable moments from her travels around the state - a one-room school house.
"I did about a 3-day trip where I cut through the middle of Idaho. On my way to Salmon, Challis and Leador, I stopped in a one room school and there are just a couple of those in Idaho - 3 students in a cabin, one student has to ride a snowmobile to get to the bus, because of the situation with the road and the snow, I know that’s not typical for Idaho students, but in that moment it gave me the weight of the role that I have, that we’re trying to support and find solution for every kind of student, for every kind of family, for every kind of learning environment."
