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EdTrends Presented by Idaho Education News 2017-2018 Trends in Idaho public education
EdTrends
Presented by Idaho Education News2017-2018
Trends in Idaho public education
Who we areIdaho Education News is a non-profit news source that provides statewide awareness of critical issues that affect Idaho’s children and their future.
We are independent. We take no positions on how to achieve better schools.
We are award-winning journalists who dig for and shine a light on data.
We hold leaders and educators accountable for student achievement and taxpayer dollars.
We demand transparency.
Why this mattersIdahoans need accurate news and data about education more than ever before because:
Idaho spends $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars per year on public education, equal to half of all the taxes collected.
Idahoans rank education as their No. 1 priority, ahead of the economy and the environment.
Still, Idaho student achievement has stagnated and lags behind national indicators of performance and success.
We created this book to help readers better understand …
… how Idaho educates 300,000 kids and spends $1.8 billion tax dollars a year.
32 IDAHO ED TRENDS
What’s insideEnrollment and Demographics page 6
Budgets and Salaries page 12
Student Achievement page 22
Investigations page 38
Definitions and Questions page 46
54 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Enrollment and D
emographics
Enrollment and Demographics
76 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Enrollment and D
emographics
ENROLLMENT
Student population over time
INVESTIGATIONIdaho’s enrollment surpassed 300,000 students in 2017
Statewide enrollment in public schools was calculated at 302,332 students in the fall of 2017, up 3,535 students or almost 1.2 percent from one year earlier.
Enrollment grows every year in Idaho by at least 1 percent and has grown by more than 50,000 students in the past 15 years.
Enrollment is important because it relates to how the state funds public schools and charters.
Currently, Idaho uses an average daily attendance calculation to fund schools. Leaders believe this funding model is outdated. It hasn’t been rewritten since 1994. A legislative interim committee has spent two years studying this complicated, attendance-based formula and has recommended Idaho transition to a student-centric, enrollment-based model of funding.
The committee told the 2018 Legislature it needed another year of work to get more feedback from around the state and learn from other states that have had success with similar changes and then, finally, develop a specific recommendation to the 2019 Legislature.
Some highlights: The West Ada School District is Idaho’s largest. It added 818 students in 2017 to reach 39,339 pupils, or 2.1 percent growth. About 13 percent of all Idaho public school students now attend West Ada schools.
Idaho’s online virtual schools saw drastic drops in 2017 enrollment. Idaho Virtual Academy reported an enrollment decrease of 7.3 percent — from 1,974 to 1,830 this year.
The Idaho Falls School District also reported a decrease of 1.2 percent, dropping from 10,294 a year ago to 10,169.
300K
290K
280K
270K
260K
250K‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17
1.6%
1.4%
2.3%
2.1%
1.7%1.1%
1.3%
.1%
1.9%.6%
.7%1.2%
1.5%
1.1%
1.2%
1.32% Average annual enrollment growth in Idaho’s public schools throughout the past 15 years.
98 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Enrollment and D
emographics
ENROLLMENTINVESTIGATIONIdaho’s public charter school program turns 20
When launched in 1998, the legislative intent of the state’s charter school program was “to serve as learning laboratories with hope that successes could potentially be applied throughout the larger public education system.”
Idaho has 53 charters schools that host 21,872 students. All are publicly funded and open to any Idaho child. However, they are at capacity, somewhere between 6,500 and 11,000 students are on waitlists. There is no cap on the number of charter schools under Idaho law and at least six more are expected to open in 2018.
Idaho’s charter schools are criticized for underserving minorities and poor populations. A 2016 report presented to the State Board of Education revealed charter schools governed by the Public Charter School Commission are far less diverse than the state’s traditional public schools.
But, Idaho’s charter schools are some of the highest performing on standardized tests and college entrance exams.
In the Idaho Education News 2017 survey “The People’s Perspective,” Idahoans said they support charter schools and most believe charters to be better than the regular public schools by a two-to-one margin.
32,346+225
13,787-115
137,786+1,829
39,154+353 26,487
+383
52,772+714
Ethnicity
Idaho’s largest minority is Hispanic or Latino and the population has continued to grow over the past eight years.
• West Ada is Idaho’s largest district with 39,339 students — 13 percent of the state's K-12 population.
• 21,872 attend charter schools in Idaho — 7 percent of the state's K-12 population.
How does your school data compare to other schools and charters?
15%
80%
17%
77%
18%
75%
Hispanic or Latino White
15%
80%
17%
77%
18%
75%
Hispanic or Latino White
2016 2017 2018100908070605040302010
80% 77% 75%
17%15% 18%115 Districts 745 Traditional
Schools53 PublicCharters
IDAHO115 Districts745 Traditional
Schools53 PublicCharters
IDAHO
115 Districts 745 TraditionalSchools
53 PublicCharters
IDAHO
Districts and schools
Growth by region (2017)
1110 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Budgets and Salaries
Budgets and Salaries
1312 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Budgets and Salaries
SALARIES
INVESTIGATIONTeacher salaries have increased by 8.8 percent in three yearsThe Idaho Legislature passed the “career ladder” salary law in 2015 — a five-year, $250 million plan to boost teacher pay.
Fast forward three years and the career ladder is performing as advertised, at least from a numbers standpoint. It has boosted starting teacher salaries and has provided raises for teachers at the low end of the salary scale. The minimum starting salary today is $34,600 up from $32,700.
This school year, Idaho teachers were rewarded an average salary increase of 3.6 percent, according to an Idaho Education News investigation of State Department of Education data. The average salary has increased by 8.8 percent, or $3,908, since 2015.
Lawmakers have committed to fourth and fifth years of raises to complete the five-year plan, which also calls for the minimum salary to reach $42,500.
In order to calculate average teacher salaries, Idaho Education News compared two sets of numbers from the State Department: the amount of money school districts and charters pay their instructional staff, and the schools’ teacher staff numbers.
Some highlights:• Idaho’s average teacher salary reached $48,113 in 2017-18
up from $46,439 the previous school year.• Salaries continue to vary widely among districts and charters.• Blaine County pays an average salary of $72,894 — almost
52 percent above the state average. • Fifty districts and charters pay an average salary of less than
$43,000 — more than 10 percent below the state average.• Teacher pay has increased steadily over the three years of the
career ladder law — by 2 percent in 2015-16, by 2.9 percent in 2016-17 and by 3.6 percent in 2017-18.
ADMINISTRATORS1,210
Average Salary
$84,204
TEACHERS16,370
Average salary
$48,113
0
50
100
150
200
250260
Average private-sector
workdays
AnnualNumber ofWorkdays
Average teacher
workdays
Average student
contact days
230 180 160
Idaho administrators (superintendents and principals) typically work throughout the summer when teachers are off. Teachers are contracted to work, on average, 180 days in Idaho. Students are in class about 160 days. The difference (20 days) is typically for teacher training and preparation time.
Teachers have received three years of raises and lawmakers have committed to two more years of raises. The minimum starting salary is $34,600. These salaries do not include benefits.
How does a teacher measure your child's learning progress? 1514 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Budgets and Salaries
SALARIES
An Idaho Education News investigation of 2015-16 data found administrators of 35 school districts or charter schools awarded identical overall evaluation scores of “proficient” to every single teacher. Only 3 percent of all teachers earned scores below the top two.
INVESTIGATIONSuperintendents reprimanded for filing bogus teacher evaluations
In Idaho, a teacher’s ability to earn a raise is partly tied to their formal evaluation. And superintendents are required to report accurate teacher evaluation data to the state. But many do not. An Idaho Education News investigation of teacher evaluation data maintained by the State Department of Education found that since 2015, more than 97 percent of the state’s nearly 18,000 teachers earned scores of “proficient” or “distinguished” on their evaluations. Very few earn scores of “unsatisfactory” or “basic.”The evaluation data hasn’t changed over the past three years — almost all teachers earn top scores. Some superintendents complained that the evaluation tool is not an accurate method for evaluating teacher performance so supplied the state with identical evaluation scores. Retired New Plymouth superintendent and current state Rep. Ryan Kerby, and Sugar-Salem Superintendent Alan Dunn admitted they intentionally and falsely awarded identical overall evaluation scores to all of their teachers.The state formally reprimanded both for breaking the law and violating their professional code of ethics.
The national average salary for school superintendents and administrators is $154,000. The national average salary for school principals is about $100,000.
Teacher performancePercent proficient and distinguished
2015
2016
2017
97.896.3
97.2
Top administrators
District Name Contract salaryBlaine County GwenCarol Holmes $173,880
Boise Don Coberly $172,228
West Ada Mary Ann Ranells $166,859
Lake Pend Oreille Shawn Woodward $161,452
Bonneville Chuck Shackett $156,026
Nampa Paula Kellerer $144,200
Boise Dennis Clay $143,577
Vallivue Pat Charlton $142,725
Idaho Falls George Boland $141,900
Bonneville Marjean McConnell $140,928
Blaine County John Peck $136,646
Gov. Butch Otter $124,436
State Superintendent Sherri Ybarra $105,770
Idaho’s average teacher salary $ 48,113
Highest average teacher salary: Blaine County $ 72,894
When observing, what teaching strategies does your principal look for to measure teacher effectiveness? 1716 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Budgets and Salaries
BUDGETS
Idaho’s 2018 General Fund Budget
Content/Curriculum/Assessments
Discretionary
Literacy
School facilities
Technology
Transportation
Professional Development
Salaries and Benefits
TOTAL$1.8 billion
Content/Curriculum/Assessments
Discretionary
Literacy
School facilities
Technology
Transportation
Professional Development
Salaries and Benefits
TOTAL$1.8 billion
Content/Curriculum/Assessments
Discretionary
Literacy
School facilities
Technology
Transportation
Professional Development
Salaries and Benefits
TOTAL$1.8 billion
Content/Curriculum/Assessments
Discretionary
Literacy
School facilities
Technology
Transportation
Professional Development
Salaries and Benefits
TOTAL$1.8 billion
Public education receives 49 percent—or half— of state tax collections. The amount jumps to 63 percent when higher education is included.
Public schools spend 64 percent of their budget on salaries and benefits.
All Other Agencies
Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Other Education
College and Universities
Public Education
Total:$3.5 billion
All Other Agencies
Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Other Education
College and Universities
Public Education
Total:$3.5 billion
All Other Agencies
Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Other Education
College and Universities
Public Education
Total:$3.5 billion
All Other Agencies
Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Other Education
College and Universities
Public Education
Total:$3.5 billion
2018 Public Schools Budget
General Fund Budget over time
Public Schools Budget over time
Salaries
Public Education
2017 2018$500 Mil
$1 Bil
$1.5 Bil
2 Bil
$2.5 Bil
$3 Bil
3.5 Bil
2016
30%
20%
10%
Public schoolsbudget growthover 3 years
State budget growth over 3 years
$$
$3.1 B$3.3 B
$3.5 B
$1.5 B$1.6 B
$1.8 B
The state budget grew by 12 percent and the public schools budget grew by 20 percent during the same three-year period.
n General Fund Budgetn Public Schools Budget
‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18
.5 B
1 B
1.5 B
2 B
2.5 B
3 B
3.5 B
IN BILLIONS
Benefits
1918 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Budgets and Salaries
BUDGETS (K-12 SCHOOLS)
A fund balance is a savings account. Districts are not required to spend fund balances before asking taxpayers to support supplemental levies, though these savings accounts add up to more than Idahoans contribute to levies.
INVESTIGATIONSupplemental school levy bill sets all-time record this year
The supplemental levy bill for taxpayers has skyrocketed over the past decade. During the Great Recession, more and more school districts used these local property tax dollars to make up for unprecedented state K-12 budget cuts.
But even in recent years, as state K-12 budgets have rebounded, the amount districts are asking local taxpayers to supplement school budgets with levies has continued to trend upward.
Some school administrators say these one- to two-year levies are no longer “supplemental,” and are needed to backfill budgets for staffing, salaries or employee benefits.
But since some school districts do not collect a supplemental levy — or cannot convince patrons to pass a levy — critics say the reliance on local levies widens the gap between the state’s haves and have-nots.
All told, 93 of Idaho’s 115 school districts will collect $194.7 million in voter approved supplemental levies, a new Idaho record. That’s an increase from $188.8 million in 2016-17, the previous and short-lived record.
Some highlights:• In 2007-08, only 60 districts had levies on the books. Today, 93 of
115 collect levies.
• Most of the districts with the highest student populations collect local taxes to supplement budgets. Districts without supplemental levies tend to be small and rural. Consequently, 93 percent of the students in traditional public schools attend districts with a supplemental levy.
• The supplemental levy bill has nearly doubled during Gov. Butch Otter’s 11 years in office. In 2007-08, at the beginning of his first term, Idaho’s supplemental levy bill totaled $101.2 million.
District Fund Balances
Supplemental Levies
Total Property Tax Burden
$195 Million $187 Million2015 $487 Million*
$226 Million2016 $189 Million $505 Million*
$253 Million2017 $195 Million $533 Million*
0 200m 400m
2015
2016
2017 $533 Million*
$505 Million*
$487 Million*
District Fund
Balances
Supple-mental Levies
Total Taxpayer Burden
*The total property tax burden is all local tax levies: supplemental levies, general obligation bonds and tort, plant facility and emergency levies.
How does your school determine priorities for spending and saving? 2120 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievement
Student Achievem
ent
2322 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
INVESTIGATIONMost schools failed to meet their own reading goals
The 2016 Legislature addressed one of Idaho’s pervasive education challenges. Each fall, some 35,000 kindergartners through third-graders show up for school unable to read at grade level.
Political and education leaders agree on one point; if students aren’t reading at grade level at the end of third grade, they are likely to struggle throughout the rest of their school years.So lawmakers infused new money — $11.25 million — to pay for extra help for young at-risk readers. Districts and charters were supposed to submit literacy plans, explaining how they would use the new money, to the State Board of Education. The State Board wanted schools to set benchmark goals.Most schools turned in plans. Some didn’t. While some schools set ambitious improvement goals, a handful set goals that were actually lower than their preceding years’ reading scores. The State Board of Education has no authority to challenge these goals and the dollars were never tied to the plans. Schools received their money even if they turned in an incomplete plan — or even if they turned in nothing. An Idaho Education News investigation found that after the $11.25 million investment, most reading scores fell short of goals set by local educators.More than two-thirds of spring 2017 test scores failed to meet the benchmark goals school leaders set in the fall of 2016. Schools aren’t penalized for falling short on their benchmarks — nor are they rewarded for meeting them. But the benchmarks provide the state one more yardstick as it embarks on a multiyear effort to provide extra help for at-risk readers.Lawmakers infused another $11.25 million into the 2017-18 school year — as educators hope the literacy program will remain an ongoing priority.
The Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) is a test given to all kindergarten through third-grade students to assess their reading skills. Idaho has seen gains in third graders reading at grade level. But last year, kindergarten IRI scores reached an 11-year low.
North Star Charter
93.7Compass Charter
92.3Sage Charter
91.4Vision Charter
86.7McCall-Donnelly
86.5Preston 86.2
Moscow 83.9Grace 83.7
Forrester Academy 83.3Marsh Valley 83.0
Idaho Arts Charter 82.4Butte County 81.8
West Side 81.4Homedale 80.6Pocatello 80.5
Bonneville 79.5Post Falls
West Jeerson 79.3
79.2Lake Pend Orelle 78.9
Wallace 78.9
Idaho's best third-grade reading scores (percent reading at grade level)
72%
28%
72%
28%
73%
27%
63%
37%
73%
27%
75%
25%
1 in 4 children are not reading at grade level
3rd Grade
Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Not Reading at Grade Level
Reading at Grade Level
2015 2016 2017
72%
28%
72%
28%
73%
27%
63%
37%
73%
27%
75%
25%
1 in 4 children are not reading at grade level
3rd Grade
Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Not Reading at Grade Level
Reading at Grade Level
2015 2016 2017
ELEMENTARY READING SCORES
2524 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
IDAHO’S STANDARDIZED TEST
INVESTIGATION$135 million failed to increase math scores
Idaho taxpayers invested $135 million in a math and teacher training initiative designed to improve student achievement in mathematics.
Lawmakers were promised positive results when the investment began in 2008. Instead, math scores have gone down, according to a seven-year investigation conducted by Idaho Education News.
The percentage of eighth-graders scoring at or above grade-level benchmarks on the math section of the National Assessment of Educational Progress dropped from 38 percent to 34 percent from 2008 to 2015. The math proficiency levels for fourth-graders dropped from 41 percent to 38 percent over that same time period.
ISAT Math scores have stagnated the past three years.
Idaho’s best 2017 Math scores on the ISAT(percent of students who scored proficient or advanced)
79.8
78.4
76
75.9
74.5
74
68.2
67.1
65.6
65
64.7
63.5
62.4
61.3
60.5
59.2
59
58.2
57
56.9
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy North Idaho Stem Charter
Victory CharterCompass Charter
North Star CharterTroy
Palouse Prairie CharterFalcon Ridge Charter
Liberty CharterTaylors Crossing Charter
Upper Carmen Public Charter Legacy Charter
West SideThe Academy District
American Heritage CharterGrace
CottonwoodMoscow
NezperceSage International
The ISAT is delivered to all students in grades 3-8 and grade 10. Federal law requires at least 95 percent of students be given the exam. Idaho has seen no significant growth on its standardized test and most students perform below standards in math.
ISAT English Language Arts 2015 2016 2017
52.9%
47.1%
52%
48%
51.1%
48.9%Performing below standard
Performing at orabove standard
ISAT Math 2015 2016 2017
41.7%
52.9%
41.8%
52%
39.3%
51.1%Performing below standard
Performing at orabove standard
Idaho’s best 2017 English Language Arts scores on the ISAT(percent of students who scored proficient or advanced)
88.1
82.7
77.9
76.5
74.7
72.1
71.1
70.9
70.9
70.9
70.1
69.7
69.4
68
66.9
66.5
65.9
65.7
65.6
70
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy
Victory Charter
Compass Charter
Palouse Prairie Charter
North Idaho Stem Charter
Nezperce
South Lemhi
Troy
North Star Charter
Genesee
Legacy Charter District
Falcon Ridge Charter
Liberty
Sage International
Mccall-donnelly
American Heritage Charter
White Pine Charter
Moscow
Swan Valley
Grace
What is your school's proficiency in math and reading? 2726 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
NATIONAL COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: SAT
INVESTIGATIONIdaho’s SAT scores are middle of the road, but comparing is tricky
High school students interested in attending college take one of two standardized tests — the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT). The results are used by college admissions officers to compare applicants.
More than 93 percent of Idaho juniors take the SAT because the Legislature provides more than $1 million in taxpayer dollars for those some 15,000 students to take it for free. By encouraging more students to take the SAT — and improve their performance on the test — state leaders hope to improve Idaho’s lackluster college graduation rates. Only seven other states share Idaho’s theory, so comparing SAT scores can be a tricky proposition. In some states where the ACT is more popular, less than 10 percent take the SAT.
But SAT scores do provide a comprehensive snapshot since most Idaho juniors take it.
For the graduating class of 2017, Idaho’s average score came in at 1006, according to the College Board, the nonprofit that administers the SAT. The results were virtually unchanged from April 2016.
Idaho’s average scores lag behind all of its neighbors.
In several Western states, the test sample skews toward a handful of the highest-achieving college-bound students. In Utah, for example, the average SAT score came in well ahead of Idaho at 1238, but only 3 percent of the state’s graduates took the test.
Students are considered college- and career-ready when their SAT section scores meet both the math and the evidence-based reading and writing benchmarks. Most Idaho students fail to meet both benchmarks.
ID U.S.ID U.S. ID U.S.ID U.S.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Math Math Reading/WritingReading/Writing
‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%ID U.S.ID U.S.
Composite‘16 ‘17
Composite‘16 ‘17
SAT Math and English Language Arts percent meeting benchmark,Idaho and U.S.
ID U.S.ID U.S. ID U.S.ID U.S.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Math Math Reading/WritingReading/Writing
‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17 ‘16 ‘17
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%ID U.S.ID U.S.
Composite‘16 ‘17
Composite‘16 ‘17SAT Composite
percent meeting benchmark,Idaho and U.S.
2928 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
Best at meeting both benchmarks
NATIONAL COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: SAT
78%
93%
71%70%70%
63%60%
60%59%
57%57%
56%
54%53%52%51%
50%50%
49%49%
55%
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy Meridian Technical Charter
RenaissanceNorth Star Charter
Meridian Medical Arts Charter Boise
Midvale Thomas Jeerson Charter
Xavier Charter Liberty Charter
Sage International Carey
Nezperce Prairie
West Side Eagle
Moscow Timberline
Coeur D’alene Sandpoint
Idaho Distance Education Academy - Post Falls
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy
North Idaho Stem Charter Academy Compass Honors
Meridian Technical Charter North Star Charter
Renaissance Boise
Meridian Medical Arts Charter Thomas Je�erson Charter
Liberty Charter Deary
Xavier Charter Moscow
West Side Sage International
Prairie Eagle
Timberline Mackay
Highland - Pocatello
647646595575572566565560556549544543540539537536536535535532
(The Max Math Score Is 800)
Best math scores
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Max score is 800 nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
North Idaho Stem Charter
Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy Renaissance
North Star Charter Compass Honors
Meridian Medical Arts Charter Sage International
Xavier Charter Meridian Technical Charter Thomas Jeerson Charter
Boise Idaho Distance Education Academy - Post Falls
Idaho Fine Arts Academy Moscow
Timberline American Heritage Charter
Liberty Charter West Side Sandpoint
Mccall-Donnelly
644631614598595590583581580580575573571563560553551550547547
(The Max Reading and Writing Score is 800)
Best reading/writing scores
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Max score is 800 nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Percent meeting benchmark Percent meeting benchmark
57%
78%
59%
46%
73%
48%
44%
70%
46%
43%
68%
44%
34%
64%
38%
34%
63%
39%
36%
61%
37%
32%
60%
34%
33%
58%
35%
28%
44%
29%
46%
70%
49%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Mas
sach
uset
ts
Rho
de Is
land
New
Ham
pshi
re
Con
nect
icut
Flor
ida
Mai
ne
Mic
higa
n
Idah
o
Del
awar
e
Was
h. D
C
US
MATH READING & WRITINGPercent meeting benchmark
BOTH
2017 SAT NATIONAL COMPARISON
In the above comparison, at least 70 percent of the juniors in these states took the SAT. The key metrics here are the college-readiness benchmarks: 480 on the reading and writing section and 530 on the math section. Students who hit these benchmarks are more likely to earn at least a C in introductory-level college classes.
3130 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
GRADUATION RATES
INVESTIGATIONIdaho’s graduation rate lags below the national average
Idaho fails to graduate 20 percent or about 4,000 of the students who enter ninth grade, a trend that has remained consistent over the past four years, ranking Idaho among the worst in the nation. Idaho’s high school graduation rate of 79.7 percent ranked 40th nationally in 2016. Idaho’s graduation rate was again 79.7 percent in 2017. The national ranking — which has improved the past five years — is not yet available for 2017. To compare Idaho’s graduation rate of 79.7 in 2016, Iowa had the nation’s highest graduation rate at 91.3 percent, while the District of Columbia had the nation’s lowest rate at 69.2 percent.White students in Idaho graduated at an 81.4 percent rate in 2016. For Hispanic students, Idaho’s largest minority population, the graduation rate was 73.7 percent. At-risk groups also lagged behind the state average. Students in poverty graduated at a 71.9 percent rate. Students with limited English proficiency graduated at a 73 percent rate. Students with disabilities graduated at a 60 percent rate.The State Board of Education wants Idaho’s graduation rate to improve to 95 percent by 2023. Lawmakers recently approved increased funding for college/career advising and educators have requested additional money to expand those efforts to freshmen and sophomore students.
Some highlights:• Twenty schools graduated 100 percent of their eligible seniors. These
represent some of Idaho’s smallest districts, with an average student “cohort” or "class" size of 19 students.
• The West Ada School District, Idaho’s largest district, has an 84.7 percent graduation rate. The Boise School District’s rate was 82.9 percent. The Lewiston School District recorded a 95.4 percent rate, the highest among larger districts with cohort sizes exceeding 300 students.
• Idaho’s virtual schools posted some of Idaho’s lowest graduation rates. The Idaho Distance Education Academy posted the highest rate among virtual schools, at 75.5 percent.
2014 2015 2016 2017
Idaho U.S.
77.3% 83.2%
Idaho U.S.
78.9% 83.2%
Idaho U.S.
79.7% 84.1%
Idaho
U.S.Not
Avail. 79.7%
Graduation rates are determined by the number of students who graduate in four years divided by the number of students who started ninth grade. The number is adjusted when students transfer or leave the state.
Idaho’s Nat'l RankingN/A
Idaho’s Nat'l RankingN/A
Idaho’s National Ranking
Idaho’s National Ranking
39 40
What are your school's greatest accomplishments? 3332 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
GO-ON RATES
The go-on rate is the percentage of students entering a post-secondary education program within 12 months of high school graduation. Young adults who do not go on to some form of higher education, and instead go on religious missions or join the military, are not counted.
INVESTIGATIONIdaho struggles to convince graduates to continue their education
Less than half of Idaho’s high school graduates go on to some form of higher education and that trend hasn’t changed over the last three years. In 2016, only 45 percent of Idaho teens went to a college, university or some type of trade school to pursue a certificate. Idaho is well below the national go-on rate of 69 percent. According to an Idaho Education News investigation, Idaho young adults cite several reasons for why they don’t want to continue their education beyond high school, including the cost and student loans. Idahoans also prefer to enlist in the military or serve a church mission before going to college. Church missions have long slowed the rate at which East Idaho students go on to some form of postsecondary education or training. In 2000, more than 60 percent of East Idaho’s population identified as LDS, compared with about 13 percent throughout the rest of the state. Consequently, fewer than 40 percent of 2015 high school graduates from East Idaho continued their education immediately after high school.Hispanics are even less likely to go on to college. Their go-on rate is 6 percentage points lower than non-Hispanics’. Educators are seeing a positive shift: Hispanic enrollment in postsecondary education tripled in the last 10 years, from roughly 3,100 in 2004 to 9,400 in 2014.
Some highlights:• Only 12 school districts and five charter high schools had a 2016 go-on rate
of more than 60 percent. With 663 graduates, Coeur d’Alene is the largest district in the group.
• Those 17 districts and charters accounted for slightly less than 7 percent of the state’s 18,013 graduates.
• Here’s the list of “60 percent” districts and charters: Aberdeen; Bruneau-Grand View; Butte County; Coeur d’Alene; Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy; Compass Public Charter School; Cottonwood; Fruitland; Genesee; Highland; Kendrick; Meadows Valley; Moscow; Murtaugh; North Star charter school; Sage International School of Boise; Xavier Charter School.
2014 2015 2016 2017
Idaho U.S. Idaho U.S. Idaho U.S.
52%
48% 54% 55%
46% 45%69% 69% 70%
31% 31% 31%
GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON
Idaho
55%
45%GO-ONGO-ON
Idaho U.S. Idaho U.S. Idaho U.S.
52%
48% 54% 55%
46% 45%69% 69% 70%
31% 31% 31%
GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON GO-ON
Idaho
55%
45%GO-ONGO-ON
How does your school prepare teens for life after high school?3534 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Student Achievem
ent
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
INVESTIGATIONCollege graduation rate is stagnant despite $100 million investment
Idaho leaders set an ambitious goal — 60 percent of young adults will complete some form of postsecondary education by 2020. They’ve already abandoned that target date in favor of a 2025 target because the numbers aren’t improving and Idaho lags behind the nation. A National Student Clearinghouse Research Center study tracking more than 2.2 million students who entered college in the fall of 2011 found only 50.7 percent of Idaho students entering a four-year public institution left with a degree. The national graduation rate was 64.7 percent. Graduation rates were lower at two-year schools where 33.6 percent of Idaho students stayed to receive a degree, compared to 37.5 percent nationally.The national study followed an Idaho Education News investigation, which discovered Idaho lawmakers committed more than $100 million since 2013 to turn high school graduates into college graduates.
The $100 million provides: • Thousands of high school students the opportunity to earn free
college credits. • High schools with money to hire college and career counselors
to work with students and parents. • More students with scholarships to attend Idaho colleges.But the money isn’t improving Idaho's college graduation rates, which remain dismally low and stubbornly stagnant.
Some highlights:In 2016, only 40.6 percent of the state's adults held a college degree or professional certificate. The national postsecondary attainment rate came in at 46.9 percent. Idaho ranked No. 45 — ahead of only Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Nevada and West Virginia.Idaho’s Latinos and American Indians are less likely to obtain a college degree or certificate. The completion rates for Latinos and American Indians are 12.7 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
The State Board of Education wants 60 percent of the state’s 25- to 34-year-olds to complete some postsecondary program: a two- or four-year college degree or a professional certificate.The impetus for the goal was a 2010 Georgetown University study, which predicted that by 2018, 61 percent of Idaho jobs would require a degree or certificate. In 2010, only 37 percent of Idaho’s 25- to 34-year-olds held a degree or certificate.
More Idahoans are continuing their education beyond high school, but in 2016, only 40.6 percent of the state's adults held a college degree or professional certificate. Here's how Idaho stacks up against the rest of the region.
POSTSECONDARY RATES IN THE WEST
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Washington Utah Wyoming Oregon Montana Idaho Nevada
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Investigations
Investigations
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Investigations
INVESTIGATIONS
Idaho’s school accountability planIdaho has not had a school accountability plan in place since 2014. What that means is Idaho has not in recent years ranked or rated the performance of its schools. The U.S. Department of Education wants Idaho to beef up school accountability through the Every Student Succeeds Act, a federal education law. Idaho’s plan to comply with ESSA was approved by the feds in March of 2018. This plan includes Idaho’s new school accountability system and outlines the state’s long-term education goals. The plan also represents Idaho’s application for about $87 million in annual federal funding and directs how the state will implement nine federal programs.Idaho’s ESSA plan will be used to identify the 5 percent lowest-performing schools in the state, and then direct resources to these schools as they develop turnaround plans.State officials will also use the plan to identify the state’s highest-performing schools, after this spring’s standardized tests.Idaho’s ESSA plan sets several ambitious five-year goals:
• Improving the high school graduation rate to 95 percent, up from 79.7 percent in 2017.
• Decreasing the number of students who are not proficient at English language arts and math by one third.
• Decreasing the number of students who are not making progress toward English language proficiency by one third.
Under the ESSA plan, Idaho will not judge its schools based on a single, high-stakes test or assign overall letter grades or star rankings to schools. Instead, the state will rely on multiple sets of data — including students’ growth toward proficiency; college- and career-readiness benchmarks, such as the number of high school students earning college credits or industry certifications; and student engagement surveys completed by third- through eighth-graders. Next year, surveys of high school students, parents and educators will be added to the mix.
Does Idaho really have a bullying problem?It’s hard to tell, at least from a numbers standpoint. Idaho administrators reported 3,162 bullying incidents during the 2015-16 school year, according to data obtained from the State Department of Education. A year later, administrators reported 3,578 bullying incidents. These were the first two years Idaho required school leaders to report bullying incidents among a population of about 300,000 students. Previously, reporting data to the State Department was not mandatory so school leaders relied on student surveys, which revealed 26 percent of students said they were bullied on school grounds.In 2015, Idaho lawmakers took steps to address bullying, amending existing law to make harassment, intimidation and bullying an infraction. A new law also requires ongoing training, sharing bullying information with parents and reporting bullying incidents to the state.Some school leaders say their efforts are working and they have very low incidents of bullying to report to the state.Yet in a 2017 survey of about 1,000 students, one in four Idaho high school students reported being a victim of bullying — and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra responded by saying the numbers show it’s time to declare war.The reason for the giant disconnect between what school leaders report and what students say in surveys is unanswered.
What is your school's approach to student discipline and safety? 4140 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Investigations
Districts disregarded transparency lawsIdaho lawmakers want public school business to be transparent to taxpayers and parents so they created laws that require districts and charters to post important information on their websites.
This information is supposed to be “easily accessible”:• All expenditures, including the names and addresses of those
receiving money.• Any contract, including teacher and vendor contracts.• Annual budgets.• Current master labor agreements.• Continuous improvement plan.
The budget and all expenditures are to be updated monthly and archived.
Many districts and charters ignore these transparency laws and they do not face penalties or fines.
An Idaho Education News investigation revealed widespread non-compliance in 2015 — only 14 of 163 websites followed the law and the state made no enforcement efforts to penalize those who didn’t comply.
Since our first report, things have improved.
Those in compliance improved to 50 in 2016. In 2017, 72 percent of Idaho districts and charter schools were in compliance or close to complying with Idaho’s transparency laws, according to an annual review of 163 websites conducted by Idaho Education News. Though more information is finding its way onto websites, budgets aren’t always updated and the information isn’t easily accessible.
INVESTIGATIONS
Idaho teens aren’t getting state-mandated help planning their careersIdaho law requires schools to help teens navigate their high school and career learning options. But thousands aren’t getting that help.
Idaho requires educators, typically counselors, to develop four-year student-learning plans with every eighth grader. The plans serve as a map for educational and career pursuits, and must be approved by parents and reviewed and updated annually until students graduate.
Despite the mandate and an infusion of millions in additional funds since 2015, an Idaho Education News investigation found that many students are not starting plans and reviewing and revising them annually with counselors and parents. Educators and counselors cite several reasons for the neglect:
• They place other counseling tasks ahead of learning plans because they question the effectiveness of the requirement.
• Money backing the mandate is sometimes filtered elsewhere.• Student-to-counselor ratios render review of the plans difficult.
How often does your school survey parents or students for feedback?
Four-day school weeks: an unproven experiment
Nearly 27,000 students (9 percent of the population) attended school only four days a week in 42 charters and districts in 2015. At least 57 districts and charters moved to four-day school weeks by 2017. The four-day school calendar has been an unproven experiment — no one can say with certainty whether the schedule helps or hinders student achievement.
Most concede the schedule does not save money. In an attempt to answer important questions about academic achievement among students in four-day schools, Idaho Education News spent months collecting and compiling academic and demographic data. The results were sobering.
While it’s true that many factors can affect student success, such as poverty or equity, students in four-day schools struggled on standardized exams across the state and across all grade levels. In the spring of 2015, only 51 percent of third through eighth grade, and high school students scored proficient or better in English language arts. In math, the proficiency rate was 39.3 percent. Only 10 four-day districts and charters met or exceeded proficiency numbers. The remaining 32 districts and charters fell short.
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Definitions and Q
uestions
Definitions and Questions
4544 IDAHO ED TRENDS | INSIGHTS 2018
Definitions and Q
uestions
"The People’s Perspective" reveals the voice of the average Idahoan. It’s a voice that’s often missing from conversations about Idaho’s public education system. In this survey, as in many others, Idahoans said education is their No. 1 priority, out-ranking the economy and the environment. This survey also reveals what Idahoans value in teaching and learning and what solutions they support. In short, Idahoans want the state to provide more quality and more equity in schools.
Other findings: • Idahoans say their public schools have made a little progress but
are still falling short. • There has been a dramatic broadening in how Idahoans define a
good education, which now equals academics plus teaching grit. • Idahoans want equity in schools and they say the state is responsible
for making up the difference. • Rural Idahoans are more likely to want to overhaul the public
education system. They are also less likely than suburban parents to prefer a four-year college for their children.
• Idahoans say it’s important to measure teachers by student growth on standardized tests.
• Idahoans support charters because they can specialize to specific interests and talents.
*Findings are based on 1,004 random interviews. The survey was conducted by non-partisan public opinion research firm The Farkas Duffet Research Group. Find the complete results at IdahoEdNews.org.
Traditional public schoolThese are the neighborhood schools. They are funded with state and federal money plus local tax levies. Attendance zones are normally set by the local board of trustees.
Public charter schoolA publicly funded independent school established by teachers, parents, or community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or state authority. Attendance in charters is normally set up through a lottery system.
Schools of ChoiceSchools with specialized courses and curricula (formerly known as magnet schools) that are supported by a district.
AlternativeNon-traditional schools with curriculum and schedules designed mostly for at-risk students.
Language ImmersionStudents learn through an international lens and work part of the day using a second language.
Private school Schools funded specifically through tuition payments, grants and other private funding.
ParochialA private school affiliated with a religious organization.
Montessori A child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood.
DEFINITIONS
4746 IDAHO ED TRENDS
Definitions and Q
uestions
DEFINITIONS
Emergency levyIf a school district’s enrollment increases by just one student, the district can impose a levy on taxpayers without an election. The amount of the levy is based on a formula in Idaho Code. The emergency levy must be certified by the local board of trustees by the second Monday in September.
ESSA Passed in December 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act covers a plethora of topics — from testing and student achievement to teacher quality indexes to school accountability metrics. The successor to the No Child Left Behind federal mandate is widely seen as a shift toward federalism. Idaho’s ESSA compliance plan is important because it outlines Idaho’s goals for education and describes how local education leaders will implement nine federal programs and represents Idaho’s application for some $83 million in annual federal funding.
Fund balance School districts can budget up to 5 percent of their general fund budget into a contingency fund reserve. These savings accounts have grown very large in the past few years. Some districts have as much in their fund balance as they spend each year.
General obligation bond When school districts plan on building new schools they hold a General Obligation Bond Levy election for the amount they will need to build the new school(s). The measure must pass with 67 percent majority vote.
Go-on ratesThese national calculations are determined by the young adults who go on to some form of higher education within 12 months of graduating high school. About 48 percent of Idaho’s 2016 graduates continued their education. The 48 percent figure does not include military or church service and might not include all career-technical programs.
IRIIdaho measures reading ability with the Idaho Reading Indicator, a short test designed to measure a student’s reading fluency. The state has used the IRI, or some version of it, since the late 1990s. But the state will shift to a new reading exam in 2018-19.The IRI is given to students at least twice a year — in the fall and in the spring — and in grades K-3. According to IRI test scores, about 23,000 students are not reading at grade level.
ISATIdaho Standards Achievement Test. All Idaho students in grades 3–8 and grade 10 are required to take the ISAT in math and English Language Arts. Students in Idaho are no longer required to pass the test for graduation.
Levy rateThe tax liability imposed on homeowners for owning real estate. A school district’s levy rate is on yearly tax bill or on the State Department of Education’s financial web page.
Supplemental levyWhen districts are in need of extra money for the general fund maintenance and operation of the district, they hold a supplemental levy election. These are usually spread over two years and can be spent on anything. Most districts will designate the money for a specific purpose such as technology, books or staff. Supplemental levies require a simple majority to pass.
Average daily attendanceState funding for schools is based on the average daily attendance of students — the amount of time students are in the building. Calculations are based on the student attendance hours divided by the number of school days.
Professional Standards CommissionThe PSC was established as an advisory commission by The Idaho Legislature in 1972. The PSC makes recommendations to the State Board of Education in teacher education, certifications, standards and can take action on teacher licensure up to and including revocation for violations of the Professional Educator Code of Ethics.
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Definitions and Q
uestions
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Taxpayer Dollars • What percent of the district budget is in a savings account and how was that
amount determined?• How do you determine priorities for spending?• When do you ask for and how do you spend taxpayer dollars collected
from supplemental levies?
Leadership• What is the district’s strategic plan and what measurable goals within the
strategy do you use to measure progress?• What are your personal goals as a school leader and how do you measure
your success?• How do you engage the community and what is your strategy for involving
patrons in district-wide decisions?• How do you evaluate principals?• How often do you consider student learning when making
district-wide decisions?
Achievement• What is the graduation rate?• What is the district go-on rate?• What is the proficiency in elementary math and reading?• What are the average scores on college entrance exams?• How does the data compare to other districts, the state and nation?• What are student and teacher attendance rates?• What are student enrollment and discipline trends?
Transparency• How are board minutes made available to the public?• Do we comply with Idaho’s transparency requirements (posting expenditures,
teacher/vendor contracts, budgets, master agreements and strategic plans to the district website)?
• How often do you survey parents and how do you use their feedback to make district-wide decisions?
To learn more about your school and district, ask these questions of school leaders:
School Philosophy• Does this school have an educational philosophy or mission?• How often do you consider student learning when making schoolwide decisions?• What credible evidence do you look for that assures students are learning?• What are some of the school’s greatest accomplishments?• What are some of the biggest challenges?
Teacher Quality • How will you measure my child’s learning progress?• How do you measure the learning progress of all kids?• When you observe teachers in a classroom, what teaching strategies do you
look for to measure teacher effectiveness?
Student Resources• What is the school’s approach to homework?• What library resources are available to my child?• How is technology used to support teaching and learning at this school?• How do the arts fit into the curriculum?• What extracurricular opportunities are available? Is there a gifted student program?• How does this school support students who have academic or social difficulties?• What strategies are used to teach students who are not fluent in English?
Safety• What is this school’s approach to student discipline and safety?• Is bullying a problem at the school? Does the school have an anti-bullying policy?
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Information in this report is from the IdahoEdNews.org and IdahoEdTrends.org websites managed by the staff of Idaho Education News.
Data for this book was collected from districts and charters, the State Department of Education, State Board of Education and the National Clearing House. Idaho Education News staff mined the data and reported on the findings. Complete news stories can be found at IdahoEdNews.org. More data can
be explored at IdahoEdTrends.org. Both websites are free of paywalls and advertising thanks to generous funding provided by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.
T R E N D S
Go to IdahoEdTrends.orgTo explore and compare data on all
of Idaho’s public schools
Go to IdahoEdNews.orgFor daily and exclusive reporting
on Idaho’s public schools and districts
