Idaho Department of Education

On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Education held the first of four Listening Sessions to Modernize the Idaho Public Schools Funding Formula.

About two dozen education leaders, parents, and community members turned out to share their $0.02 about how the state is funding K–12 education.

Have an idea? Please email [email protected]

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📸 Idaho Senator Dave Lent, welcomed participants and asked follow up questions throughout the session.

The Summer Food Service Program is ramping up at meal site locations around Idaho!

There are no income requirements, and children between the ages of 1 and 18 can receive balanced, healthy meals at no cost to them.

Find a site 👇
https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sitefinder

Many sites also offer games and reading activities for families!

**80 YEARS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL NUTRITION**

🎉 🥳 🎉 🥳 🎉

Excerpt from the School Nutrition Association's School Nutrition Magazine:

In 1946, World War II had just ended. Military leaders were alarmed to discover many young men were being rejected from service due to malnutrition, a direct result of childhood hunger. Congress responded with the National School Lunch Act, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on June 4, 1946.

The Act made permanent federal support for school lunches “to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s children.”

Behind the scenes with CapEd Credit Union on KTVB!! 👀

Idaho's 2026 Teacher of the Year, Laron Johnson, has been teaching social studies for 29 years at Rigby High School in the Jefferson School District.

Tune in tomorrow—June 4 at 12:30 PM (MT)—to hear him explain what it is like to be a student in his classroom.

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BONUS: Education reflections from Superintendent Critchfield.

The most regulated kitchen in your city is not a Michelin-starred restaurant.
 
It is your school cafeteria. And the people running it are there every single morning whether anyone notices or not.
 
That is what showing up looks like.
 
If you work in school nutrition, drop your school name below. We want this thread to be a map of every cafeteria showing up today. 💛
 

America's 250th Birthday is only 33 days away!!

Start the celebration early with a little summer reading.

Superintendent Critchfield was sent the book “Grace for President” by the Center for American Women and Politics as part of their Teach a Girl to Lead reading project. It's a hit for all kids. The story offers a window into the workings of our country's government and can even help parents explain concepts like the Electoral College.

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“Grace for President” is written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. All images and rights belong to them.

About 32% of Idaho adults have contacted or reached out to an elected official—via writing, emailing, calling, or visiting—to express their views or concerns. Compared to national averages of between 9% to 26%, Idahoans are demonstrating strong civic engagement and democratic participation.

Stay informed! It takes an educated populace to sustain our republic. Celebrate everything USA during America’s 250th birthday, this July 4th.

Events and volunteer opportunities 👇
https://america250.idaho.gov/

Source: Idaho Public Policy Survey results on civic engagement survey findings (2025).

Put your hands together for the 2026 Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind (ISDB) graduating class!!

Some of these young adults have been living and learning at the Gooding campus since they were 3-years-old.

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More photos of the graduates can be found on the Idaho Department of Education Instagram.

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ISDB serves all qualifying residents of Idaho from birth to age 21.

The school is accredited through Advanced-ED and has a specialized curriculum established for students with hearing and vision loss. Students who wish to attend must be referred by their local district and placed by their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 teams for free and appropriate educational services in residential or day school programs on the campus.

*MEET THE TEAM SUPPORTING IDAHO EDUCATION*

Sara Bell is the curricular materials review and mentoring coordinator for Idaho schools. She has been a high school teacher, an elementary school principal, and even worked as a funeral home director. She holds a BA in Communication from Boise State University and two M.Ed. degrees (Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction), both from the American College of Education.

Sara’s work for the Idaho Department of Education is twofold. When working to support mentorship and teacher retention, she matches rural educators to content-specific mentors as aligns with the Idaho Mentoring Standards, organizes a mentoring conference, and scales up support opportunities around the state. When working on curriculum materials, she secures bids from publishers, organizes titles, contracts with Idaho certified teachers to review the materials, and then trains (both publishers and teachers) on how to successfully navigate a curricular review. She also supports schools and districts with any curriculum adoption questions they may have.

Did you know? Right now, the Idaho Department of Education just completed this curriculum review process with 202 titles and 108 educators!

Sara followed an alternative authorization pathway to become a high school English teacher. At one time or another she has worked at Weiser High School, Heritage Community Charter School, Mountain View High School, and Eagle Academy. "I feel blessed to have worked in a variety of educational settings—rural/urban, comprehensive/alternative schools, as well as a charter school," said Sara. "I love being a champion and coach for kids AND educators."

Register for the 2026 Idaho Indian Education Summit

📆 June 11–12
📍 ISU, Pocatello
🎟 Get tickets BEFORE June 3

For the second year in a row, Brian Frejo (pictured) will emcee the state's annual Indian Education Summit. Teacher-in-service credits are available through Lewis-Clark State College.