The Influential Conservative Group Making it Harder for Idaho Districts to Fix Their Schools

[phkrause]

The Idaho Freedom Foundation has gone beyond the education culture wars by targeting local bond and levy elections, which districts rely on heavily to build and repair schools.

The blue and orange leaflets that arrived in Idaho Falls mailboxes ahead of the school bond election in November 2022 looked like the usual fare that voters across the country get. Sent out by the school district, the mailers encouraged people in the eastern Idaho city to register to vote and listed bullet points highlighting what the bond would pay for.

https://www.propublica.org/article/the-influential-group-disrupting-efforts-to-fix-idaho-schools?

Falling Apart

No other state spends less on school infrastructure per student than Idaho. As a result, many students, especially those in rural districts, deal with leaking ceilings, freezing classrooms and discolored drinking water. Some students have to miss school when the power or heat goes out.

https://www.propublica.org/article/idaho-students-educators-show-us-effects-of-underfunded-schools?

Idaho Hasn’t Assessed School Buildings for 30 Years. Students and Educators Helped Us Do It Ourselves.

To understand the problems plaguing underfunded schools in Idaho, we surveyed 115 superintendents, toured 39 buildings and collected accounts from hundreds of students, parents and teachers.

https://www.propublica.org/article/idaho-hasnt-assessed-school-buildings-30-years-students-educators-helped-us-do-it?

Idaho Legislature Approves $2 Billion for Schools to Repair and Replace Aging Buildings

The funding was pledged by Gov. Brad Little after an Idaho Statesman and ProPublica investigation showed students learning in poor conditions. Educators say it’s only a start to fixing decades-old problems.

https://www.propublica.org/article/idaho-legislature-approves-funding-for-school-repairs?