Idaho Governor Brad Little addressed school leaders at the Boise Centre on Thursday, emphasizing the state’s commitment to enhancing literacy despite disappointing reading test scores. Speaking at the Idaho Association of School Administrators’ annual summer conference, Little assured educators that improving literacy is a top priority for state leaders.
“There is no daylight between the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and myself on improving literacy,” Little declared. “We want to work with you to move that needle.”
The conference, which brought together hundreds of public school superintendents, principals, and other administrators, featured a blend of workshops, motivational talks, and networking opportunities. Governor Little’s speech highlighted both achievements and challenges in the state’s educational landscape.
On the positive side, Little celebrated significant state investments in education. This includes $1.5 billion allocated for school facilities, a 16% increase in teacher salaries, and $47 million earmarked for literacy programs. Much of the literacy funding is directed towards supporting full-day kindergarten, a crucial early education initiative.
However, the governor stressed that these investments must lead to tangible improvements in reading skills. “All this investment doesn’t do us any good if literacy doesn’t improve for all kids, all classes, all communities,” Little noted. He emphasized the need for the new spending to yield better reading outcomes, as the state’s reading scores have repeatedly missed their targets.
This year’s Idaho Reading Indicator scores showed some progress in reading proficiency since 2023, but the results are still below state goals and pre-pandemic levels. Currently, 66.5% of students are reading at grade level, compared to nearly 70% in 2019. Approximately 17% of students, or nearly 15,000, were not proficient in reading this year. The Department of Education aims to reduce the number of K-3 students reading below grade level to less than 12% by 2027.
In addition to literacy efforts, Governor Little also highlighted the Idaho Launch scholarship program, which he introduced. This program provides up to $8,000 for college or job training to high school graduates. There is little hope that Idaho Launch, along with other scholarship initiatives like Advanced Opportunities, will significantly improve the state’s 37% college continuation rate. He aims to increase this rate by 20 percentage points in the coming years.
“We see kids who might not get a big scholarship or whose parents can’t afford higher education. Launch will help bridge that gap,” Little said. “It’s all about making education more affordable and accessible, just as it was when I went to school.”
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Governor Little’s address underscores the state’s determination to tackle literacy challenges head-on while also expanding opportunities for students to pursue higher education and job training. The governor’s commitment to education reform reflects a broader effort to enhance academic performance and support students across Idaho.
