(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra aims to get input and ideas from a broad range of Idaho students by forming a statewide student panel to advise her and the State Department of Education.
News Releases
(BOISE) – Outstanding students from Moscow and Nampa have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars for 2021, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced Thursday.
(BOISE) – As part of her statewide Legislative Roadshow to discuss the latest education developments with Idaho educators, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra will visit schools and talk with students along the route.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra will visit the Caldwell YMCA Tuesday afternoon for the official launch of Idaho’s Think Make Create Labs, a collaborative partnership supporting STEM education for rural and underserved communities in Idaho.
(BOISE) – The Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Office is partnering with a new online platform to provide free, small-group tutoring in mathematics for Idaho middle and high school students who want to catch up on their learning and get ready for what’s next. Superintendent Sherri Ybarra announced her partnership with Schoolhouse.world Monday morning at the kickoff for this year’s Legislative Roadshow.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra and key staff members will meet with educators from all regions of the state over the next two weeks to discuss the latest Idaho education developments, including legislative action.
(BOISE) – Six outstanding Idaho math and science teachers have been named as the 2021 state finalists for the national Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced.
(BOISE) – Six members of Idaho’s high school Class of 2021 have been selected as semifinalists for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program.
(BOISE) – Idaho elementary schools can apply now to participate in the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) through Child Nutrition Programs of the State Department of Education.
(BOISE) – Idaho parents who advocated for Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s in-person learning bill joined the superintendent in celebrating Thursday afternoon when Gov. Brad Little signed the legislation into law.
(BOISE) – Dr. Joel Wilson will join the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office beginning July 1. He currently serves as superintendent for the Butte County School District.
(BOISE) – The appropriations bill for the teachers’ division for public schools failed Tuesday by a tie vote in the Idaho House of Representatives, prompted by legislative concerns that state funds could be used to advance a social justice agenda.
(BOISE) – Legislation protecting Idaho children’s access to in-person education cleared the Senate by unanimous vote Tuesday evening and now heads to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.
– Superintendent Ybarra names new communications director March 25, 2021
(BOISE) – Mary McFarland, a lifelong Idahoan with diverse experience in publishing, business and local government, will be Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s new communications director and press secretary, Superintendent Ybarra announced.
(BOISE) – The Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office is administering the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) program on behalf of the Governor’s Office. The purpose of the EANS program is to provide emergency services or assistance related to COVID-19 to non-public schools.
(BOISE) – Eight Idaho school districts and five community organizations will receive grants ranging from $100,000 to $175,000 to provide youth academic and enrichment opportunities through the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program.
(BOISE) – Thirteen school districts and child care organizations across Idaho will implement innovative technology for child nutrition programs thanks to more than $175,000 in federal Technology Innovation Grant (TIG) funds distributed by the State Department of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced.
– Superintendent Ybarra’s popular Prevention conference goes virtual; registration is open February 22, 2021
(BOISE) – The 27th annual Prevention and Support Conference will be held online this year on April 12 and 13, with a full roster of speakers, sessions and pre-conference trainings geared to help educators and others keep Idaho schools and students safe.
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education is accepting nominations for Idaho’s top teaching honor, Teacher of the Year.
(BOISE) – Initial drafts of new Idaho Content Standards for Math, Science and English language arts (ELA) are available for review, and Idaho citizens are encouraged to study these drafts, comment on the standards and provide feedback that will guide the remaining work to be done on the standards before they are finalized and presented to the State Board of Education next fall and the 2022 Legislature.
(BOISE) – Idaho students in kindergarten through fifth grade are learning to love mathematics, science and engineering thanks to skilled, dedicated teachers, and six of those Idaho teachers are in the running to receive the national Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
– SDE seeks sponsors for summer food service to children in need January 29, 2021
(BOISE) – The Child Nutrition Division of the Idaho State Department of Education is seeking partners for this year’s Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals and snacks to children, ages 1-18, by operating sites in low-income areas during the summer months.
(BOISE) – Idaho students’ visions of future success were announced Thursday morning as Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra outlined her public schools budget plan to the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations committee.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra will address priorities and needs for the 2021-22 school year when she presents her public schools budget request to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.
– Idaho’s 2020 graduation rates show improvement January 15, 2021
(BOISE) – Idaho’s four-year and five-year graduation rates increased in 2020, encouraging news amid a pandemic that disrupted the end of the graduates’ senior year.
(BOISE) – Monday’s State of the State address by Gov. Brad Little offered welcome news to educators and families throughout Idaho.
– SDE seeks feedback on proposed changes to accountability plan January 8, 2021
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education is requesting public feedback on a proposed addendum to temporarily modify several components of Idaho’s previously approved Consolidated State Plan for accountability.
(BOISE) – Happy New Year! Like educators and families throughout Idaho, I’m looking forward to this new year with the hope that we will be able to get back to school under more normal conditions.
– Idaho State Department of Education announces holiday closures December 23, 2020
(BOISE) – State Department of Education offices will be closed on the following dates:
(BOISE) – The Child Nutrition Programs of the Idaho State Department of Education published today newly updated lists of Centers and Family Day Care Homes that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
– Superintendent Ybarra announces new SDE transportation director December 18, 2020
(BOISE) – Kyle Rahn, a law enforcement officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Boise, will join the State Department of Education Dec. 30 as Director of Student Transportation, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced Friday.
– SDE releases final results for fall 2020 Idaho Reading Indicator December 10, 2020
(BOISE) – Final Fall 2020 statewide results of Idaho’s early reading test, the Idaho Reading Indicator, show little variation from preliminary results released in November. The final results include a breakdown by district and school, as well as performance by student demographic groups.
(BOISE) – Students in grades 7 through 12 throughout Idaho are invited to picture how their education will connect with their future and share that vision through artwork.
– SDE announces student winners of 2020 holiday art contest November 24, 2020
(BOISE) – This year’s holiday cards from the Idaho State Department of Education will feature a Boise sixth-grader’s drawing of a mask-wearing Santa wishing Idaho a safe Christmas.
– Joint Statement from Idaho Educators November 20, 2020
(BOISE) – The pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of how we live, work, recreate and celebrate. From mundane tasks to once-in-a-lifetime events to medical emergencies, our engagement has been drastically changed.
– SDE offers grants for ‘community learning center’ programs November 20, 2020
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education will award about $1.5 million in five-year grants to operate out-of-school programs across Idaho starting in the 2021-22 school year, and the SDE will hold two free virtual workshops in December for prospective applicants.
– SDE awards grant funds to help Idaho schools upgrade kitchen equipment November 12, 2020
(BOISE) – The Idaho State Department of Education has awarded $124,312 in federal grant funding through its Child Nutrition Programs to help 10 Idaho schools purchase new equipment for their National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced today.
– SDE releases preliminary results for fall Idaho Reading Indicator October 27, 2020
(BOISE) – Preliminary statewide results for Idaho’s early reading test show 49.6 percent of the state’s students in kindergarten through third grade are reading at grade level, with another 26 percent reading near grade level.
– SDE’s updated online report card goes live October 26 October 26, 2020
(BOISE) – Idaho’s online report card for public schools and districts now includes new user-friendly features and updated information.
– Guest Opinion: Back to school isn’t back to normal, but keep focus on what’s best for kids October 21, 2020
(BOISE) – This school year is unlike any other, with a long-running pandemic heaping stress on families, teachers, administrators and support staff. All involved are working hard to innovate and keep everyone safe while minimizing learning loss.
– Content standards, advanced opportunities. CARES funds among topics at SBOE meeting October 21, 2020
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra and her staff will report on several programs and areas of keen public interest during the State Department of Education portion of today’s State Board of Education meeting.
– Idaho’s K-6 students invited to submit art for SDE holiday cards October 16, 2020
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education is now accepting Holiday Card Contest submissions from Idaho students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
– Superintendent Ybarra revises 2022 budget request October 9, 2020
(BOISE) – In response to stronger than expected state revenues in August and September, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra has submitted a revised budget for the 2021-22 budget year, seeking an additional $20 million for next fiscal year which brings her total budget request to $2.02 billion in state general funds.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra visited Wood River Middle School this morning to surprise Spanish teacher Jorge Pulleiro with the news that he is Idaho’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.
– Two Idaho Schools Receive National Blue Ribbon School Honors September 24, 2020
(BOISE) – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today recognized two Idaho schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
(BOISE) – In response to the pandemic, the State Department of Education has submitted a waiver request to allow Idaho’s Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers to provide supplemental services during school hours when students are not physically present in school but are participating in remote or independent learning caused by COVID-19.
– Free ‘Gatekeeper’ training helps Idahoans respond to youth suicide warning signs September 16, 2020
(BOISE) – September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the State Department of Education (SDE) is marking the occasion by encouraging Idahoans to sign up for free online training designed to prevent youth suicide.
– Longtime SDE schools finance chief to retire; successor named September 15, 2020
(BOISE) – Tim Hill, who has headed public school finance for the State Department of Education under four superintendents of public instruction, will retire Friday, Sept. 18 -- 23 years and 10 days after he first joined the department.
– 118 Idaho schools to receive fresh fruit, vegetables through grants September 10, 2020
(BOISE) – Students at 118 schools across Idaho will receive free, fresh fruit and vegetables during this school year thanks to a state-administrated grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced.
(BOISE) – Improving pay for Idaho’s veteran teachers and restoring educators’ ability to move up on the career ladder is the top priority in the 2021-22 public schools budget request submitted by Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra.
– Supt. Ybarra releases back-to-school graphic, PSA for parents August 17, 2020
(BOISE) – As families throughout Idaho start a new school year, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra has a simple message amid this complicated time: Let’s get back to school, safely. Whether local schools are starting in-person, online or a combination of the two, all families can help stop the spread of Coronavirus by taking a few easy precautions: Wash your hands, wear a mask, maintain social distancing and stay home if you don’t feel well.
(BOISE) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set new income guidelines for the free and reduced price meals provided to students in schools operating the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and for free milk in schools operating the Special Milk Program.
(BOISE) – A mathematics teacher from Boise’s Timberline High School has been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education’s Advanced Opportunities Program, which helps students get a jump start toward college and career, offers a worthy example for “state policymakers seeking ways to improve the quality of high school instruction and expand postsecondary access and attainment,” according to recent report from the Manhattan Institute.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced Wednesday that Kevin Whitman, currently state coordinator for accountability, will become director of Assessment and Accountability.
– Supt. Ybarra: Funding and supporting districts’ back to school efforts is top priority July 15, 2020
(BOISE) – School districts throughout Idaho will have the opportunity to receive two streams of federal funding, distributed by the State Department of Education, designed to help them navigate the pandemic and begin the next school year with the tools and resources necessary to deliver blended learning.
(BOISE) – This week the State Department of Education distributed thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer and thousands of masks to school districts in Idaho to help protect vulnerable populations when school resumes.
- Lance Hansen, assistant superintendent of the Lewiston School District, pumps hand sanitizer into containers Monday for schools in Region 2
- SDE Transportation specialist Brent Mahannah pumps hand sanitizer into containers for Region 3 schools in New Meadows
- Representatives of Region 3 schools line up for hand sanitizer in Meridian
– Media Advisory: Initial meeting for science standards review panel set for Tuesday morning June 29, 2020
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education’s newly formed science standards review committee will hold its kickoff meeting via teleconference Tuesday, June 30 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education’s review process for Idaho Content Standards for Math, Science and English Language Arts will kick off Monday and Tuesday, June 29-30. Reporters and interested members of the public are welcome to listen in as newly formed review committees hold their initial meetings.
(BOISE) – Students at 21 middle and high schools across Idaho will fight against teen suicide by decreasing risk factors and building positive influences, thanks to state Sources of Strength grants for the upcoming school year. Also, for the first time, the Sources program will be extended to younger Idaho children through an elementary curriculum.
– Guest Opinion: Resources abound for Idaho parents to help students ‘learn forward’ this summer June 17, 2020
(BOISE) – Summer learning has never been more essential. Educators often talk about the “summer slide,” when student skills and learning abilities drop off from disuse. As a former third grade teacher, I know how important it is that children continue reading, inquiring and exploring during the months between academic years.
– SDE adds finance information to online report card June 11, 2020
(BOISE) – Idaho’s statewide report card for schools and districts now includes school level financial information, specifically per-pupil expenditures.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra is launching an important survey to collect input from Idaho parents focusing on the availability and use of technology to support instruction.
(BOISE) – – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra today appointed Karlynn Laraway as her director of communications. In her new position, Laraway will oversee all external communications for the State Department of Education including media relations, online content and information requests.
(BOISE) – High school seniors from Hailey, Moscow and Boise have been named U.S. Presidential Scholars for 2020, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced Thursday.
(BOISE) – Teacher Appreciation Week is something we celebrate every year in Idaho, and for very good reason. But this year, May 4-8 has particular resonance because Idaho teachers are stretching their imagination and energy to meet students’ needs during a state and national crisis that has closed our schools and impacted education in ways we never expected.
(BOISE) – Reducing youth suicide rates and addressing students’ emotional and mental health needs are among the most important issues in Idaho education, and the need doesn’t end when students graduate from high school.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra is one of three state education chiefs selected for a national webinar to discuss issues public schools are grappling with under the COVID-19 pandemic.
(BOISE) – Idahoans now have until Monday, May 11, to nominate an outstanding educator for the state’s top teaching honor, Teacher of the Year.
(BOISE) – Up to 10,000 Idahoans can receive free online training to identify and respond to the warning signs of students in crisis through QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention funded by the State Department of Education.
(BOISE) – Six high-achieving Idaho high school seniors have been selected as semifinalists for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program.
(BOISE) – Eight Idaho school districts and five community organizations will receive grants ranging from $75,000 to $170,000 to provide youth academic and enrichment opportunities through the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program.
(BOISE) – Four educators from across Idaho will begin three-year terms on the Professional Standards Commission July 1. Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra recommended them to the State Board of Education during Thursday’s board meeting, and all four were unanimously confirmed by the board.
(BOISE) – Thousands of Idaho students don’t have a computer at home or a way to connect to the internet so they can learn remotely during this coronavirus pandemic. But nearly every family in Idaho has a television set and can watch Idaho Public Television. That is where IdahoPTV’s “Classroom Idaho: Learn @ Home” programming can connect these students with certified Idaho teachers so that they can finish learning for the balance of this school year.
(BOISE) – Idaho elementary schools can apply now to participate in the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) through Child Nutrition Programs of the State Department of Education.
(BOISE) – Although public school buildings are closed, Idaho educators continue instructing students through distance learning, and parents are helping children learn at home. To support these efforts, the State Department of Education is providing a wide range of resources to maximize the continuity of education.
(BOISE) – As Idaho education officials grapple with what the end of this school year will look like amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the State Board of Education unanimously agreed Monday to extend the soft closure but give flexibility to Idaho’s school districts and charter schools as they determine new ways to meet requirements and gauge students’ readiness in high school civics and early reading.
(BOISE) – For Idaho educators, as for all Idahoans, this rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of quick study and rapid response, with unprecedented challenges from all directions.
(BOISE) – Thirteen school districts and child care organizations across Idaho will implement innovative technology solutions for child nutrition programs thanks to a grant from the US Department of Agriculture.
– SDE seeks nominations for 2021 Idaho Teacher of the Year March 11, 2020
(BOISE) – The State Department of Education is accepting 2021 nominations for Idaho’s top teaching honor, Teacher of the Year.
(BOISE) – The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) took up Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s proposed fiscal 2021 budgets for K-12 public schools and departmental operations Tuesday. JFAC’s actions, approving several of the superintendent’s key priorities, now go to the full House and Senate for approval.
(BOISE) – Schools can play an important role in efforts taken by health officials to prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19, Coronavirus. And the State Department of Education is circulating helpful links and information to all school districts and charter schools in Idaho.
(BOISE) – A new federal grant, awarded in January to the State Department of Education, will greatly expand Idaho’s Sources of Strength program to include trained behavioral health case managers and peer-to-peer groups for survivors of suicide attempts.
– Media advisory: Superintendent Ybarra to speak at IETA conference February 3, 2020
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra will be the featured speaker at the luncheon of the Idaho Education Technology Association (IETA) conference Tuesday, Feb. 4.
– SDE seeks summer food service program sponsors January 31, 2020
(BOISE) – The Child Nutrition Division of the Idaho State Department of Education is seeking partners for this year’s Summer Food Service Program, which provides free meals and snacks to children, ages 1-18, in low-income areas during the summer months.
– Guest opinion: Don’t rely on luck to address teens’ challenges. Invest in social-emotional learning January 23, 2020
(BOISE) – Our lives are defined by moments, especially the ones we never see coming. My compelling moment – the moment that gave me my mission as an educator -- was on an October afternoon in 2014. I remember putting on my backpack as I watched my athletes load the bus after cross country practice. My phone kept ringing and ringing, and I struggled to find it in my backpack. I had missed three phone calls from my 18-year-old son Keegan, who was a freshman at BSU.
– SDE announces student winners of ‘future’ art contest January 23, 2020
(BOISE) – Young Idaho artists with big dreams for their futures got a moment in the spotlight Thursday when Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra Thursday presented her 2021 budget request to the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations committee.
(BOISE) – Improving Idaho students’ ability to learn and succeed is at the heart of each priority listed in Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s proposed public schools budget for 2021.
– Idaho’s innovative mastery network expands, looks to the future January 20, 2020
(BOISE) – Idaho’s shift to a mastery-based learning model is going strong, with new schools and school districts joining the Idaho Mastery Education Network. After the 2019 Legislature approved a bill to lift the cap on participation in the mastery-based network, the number of participants more than doubled. Today, more than a quarter of Idaho’s school districts and 12 percent of the state’s charter schools are working on new, innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
– Idaho’s 4-year graduation rate steady; 5-year rate increases January 17, 2020
(BOISE) – Idaho’s four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2019 remained steady, coming in at 80.7 percent, compared to 80.6 percent in 2018. The percentage of students who graduated in five years increased from 82.0 percent to 82.8 percent, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra said Friday.
(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra is, once again, pleased that Gov. Brad Little has made education a top priority. In his annual State of the State address Monday, the governor laid out his agenda for education, which aligns with Superintendent Ybarra’s continued commitment to supporting Idaho schools and students to achieve.