Idaho schools chief to run for re-election

Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra says she will run for re-election in 2018.

Ybarra, a Republican, announced Wednesday she plans on running for another four-year term. Her only other opponent is GOP Wilder School Superintendent Jeff Dillon. No Democratic candidate has entered the race.

Ybarra was first elected as Idaho’s schools chief in 2014 against a wide range of candidates with mostly educator backgrounds and almost no political experience.

Ybarra narrowly won the race even after raising minimal campaign funds. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Ybarra has raised $900 since January after having just $92 cash on hand.

The position requires overseeing the state’s public school system. The superintendent of public instruction also serves on the five-member Idaho Land Board, which oversees 2.5 million acres of Idaho land to benefit state public schools.