An $11.25 million plan to help 37,000 at-risk readers
This week, Idaho Education News and Idaho Public Television’s “Idaho Reports” took an in-depth look at the state’s plans to help at-risk readers. Here are this week’s highlights from the K-12 beat.
Idaho’s literacy plan. The numbers are startling: About 40 percent of Idaho’s kindergarten through third-grade students show up each fall without grade-level reading skills. Idaho is spending $11.25 million this year to provide extra help for struggling readers. But it’s up to local school districts and charter schools to figure out how to spend their cut of the money. Details: https://www.idahoednews.org/news/idaho-schools-try-bridge-wide-reading-gap/
Digging into the literacy numbers. Districts with more at-risk readers receive a bigger share of Idaho’s $11.25 literacy money. And these districts tend to face some underlying demographic challenges. Dig into the numbers (and check out our tables to see how your local school stacks up): https://www.idahoednews.org/news/close-look-literacy-dollars-literacy-demographics/
A test of political patience and political will. Improving Idaho’s reading scores could require a multiyear, multimillion commitment. In 2017, lawmakers will have to decide whether to continue funding the reading initiative — in the absence of any hard numbers on student achievement. A look at the politics: https://www.idahoednews.org/news/literacy-initiative-tests-political-patience-political-will/
A rewrite for Idaho’s reading test. Educators say there are numerous shortcomings with the Idaho Reading Indicator — a snapshot test designed to identify at-risk readers. State superintendent Sherri Ybarra wants to spend $5.9 million to revamp or replace the IRI. But a change could come just as politicians, parents and educators try to gauge the results of the reading initiative. Details: https://www.idahoednews.org/news/idaho-revamps-literacy-program-reading-test-awaits-rewrite/
Reading and special education. With the right instruction, most special education students can increase their literacy. But do Idaho schools have the resources and knowledge to provide those tools? Details: https://www.idahoednews.org/news/rethinking-literacy-special-education-students/
Special education funding report. In other news, legislators received a sobering report on K-12 funding, with an emphasis on special education. According to legislative auditors, Idaho is shortchanging its 29,700 special education students. The state spends close to $300 million a year on special education, with only a fraction of the money tied directly to student need. Details: https://www.idahoednews.org/kevins-blog/auditors-special-education-spending-not-tied-need/
And, the latest on teacher evaluations … On Thursday, the firm that reviewed Idaho teacher evaluations criticized media coverage of their work. State Board of Education president Emma Atchley of Ashton called the issue “overblown” (Details: https://www.idahoednews.org/news/review-team-says-found-no-inaccuracies-teacher-evaluations/). Earlier this week, Ybarra told Idaho Education News that she may push for changes in state law (https://www.idahoednews.org/news/ybarra-may-push-changes-idaho-law-regarding-teacher-evaluations/).
