Idaho governor emphasizes public education, but can he stop voucher freight train? | Opinion

During his State of the State address on Monday, Idaho Gov. Brad Little used the word “public” 10 times when talking about education, mentioning public schools and public charter schools.

His speech sent a clear message that he’s doubling down on public education in the face of what’s sure to be a heated debate over bringing vouchers for private schools to Idaho.

Little even said as much.

“We are not backing down on education; we are doubling down on education,” he said.

His budget proposal, also revealed Monday, includes a 16% increase in K-12 public education funding. His budget increases ongoing public education funding by $360 million and would boost starting teacher pay to put it in the top 10 nationally.

Finally, a ranking Idaho can be proud of.

Teacher salaries across the board would be boosted as well. The average Idaho teacher would see a $6,300 pay raise.

Little’s critics are crying that Little is “giving in” to the teachers union. No, his budget provides a decent salary that will attract the best teachers and keep them in Idaho. That’s how the market works. And that benefits Idaho schoolchildren. If you don’t want Idaho to have the best teachers, then you’re not really in support of Idaho schoolchildren.

His budget also sets aside $20 million for school safety and $30 million for technology improvements.

Listening to a group of Idaho’s college students, who wrote a guest opinion column last year that appeared in the Idaho Statesman, Little’s budget creates the “Idaho Launch” scholarship of $8,500 starting next year to graduating high school students in Idaho to attend an Idaho university, community college, career technical or workforce training program of their choice.

Little is also proposing to make permanent the Empowering Parents grant program, which provides direct tax dollars to families to use for educational purposes.

It’s part of what Little rightly points out as Idaho’s national ranking as the third-best in school choice.

What Little’s budget doesn’t provide is money for “education savings accounts” or school vouchers that would allow taxpayer dollars to be used for private school tuition.

During his address, Little acknowledged the constitutional mandate to “establish and maintain a general uniform and thorough system of public free common schools.”

His budget, if approved by Idaho legislators, would go a long way toward fulfilling that mandate.

“As elected leaders, we promise to uphold this contract with the people when we take the oath of office,” Little said, as if directly addressing those who oppose public education and are pushing for vouchers. “Our commitment to public schools is both our constitutional obligation and it is our moral obligation. My Idaho First plan delivers on both the constitutional mandate and the mandate from the voters of Idaho by investing in our public schools.”

No doubt, though, some Republican legislators are still going to push for school vouchers under the guise of school choice.

Such proponents, though, seem less concerned with improving education in Idaho than attacking public schools, calling them “government indoctrination camps.”

Little’s budget and his address sent a clear message about his priorities and lack of interest in anything that is “significantly diminutive” of public education.

If any school voucher proposals make it out of the Legislature and to his desk, he should remember his commitment and make it as strong on the last day of the session as it is on the first.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members Johanna Jones and Maryanne Jordan.