Pocatello charter school teacher named to education taskforce

Gov. Otter has put together a task force to help guide the future of education reform in Idaho, and a local teacher was named to the group.

Teresa Jackman specializes in teaching students who’ve fallen behind, works at a charter school, and is a member of the Idaho Education Association.

When it comes to support for education in the state she said she’s seen the good and bad.

“I’ve taught in years where we made due. Years where I spent $1700 of my own income to provide materials,” Jackman said.

Jackman said one of her main priorities on the task force will be to make sure the the group doesn’t try to just put forward a rehashed version of the education ideas that voters already rejected.

“There need to be controls so that budgets aren’t eaten up by mandated technologies,” Jackman said.

Whatever laws the Legislature considers will mean a whole lot to local educators.

School District 25 representatives said before rushing into revamps of education in Idaho, the Legislature needs to focus on reform that is already affecting Idaho schools.

“Give us the resources to implement the Common Core state standards and the Smarter Balance Assessment. That is true reform and that is what our state needs to concentrate on,” District 25 Public Relations Director Shelley Allen.

Of the 30 members of the task force, there’s sure to be a lot of strong opinions, but Jackman said she’s confident they’ll find common ground in ways to help students across the state.

“I would like to have a good relationship with those folks and work with them so that we can have laws that give to our children,” Jackman said.