Thayn, presenting a bill to get students through high school more quickly, brought his daughter Carly to the House Education Committee Monday to talk about her success in using online courses to graduate early from high school.

The younger Thayn, a junior set to shave a year off her high school career, told members of the House Education Committee that motivation is critical in utilizing online courses. “If you have the will to do it, you can do it,” Carly Thayn said. “It’s not that hard.”

The elder Thayn’s bill, House Bill 426, helps students graduate early by paying for a share of summer school courses, taken either online or in class. The state would pay $225 per summer school course for each student and families would pitch in $75. If students do not perform well enough in the classes, the state support will end and families will be asked to pay the full class costs moving forward in the program.

The bill moves to the House floor after a unanimous vote of approval from committee members.

There was concern about how to pay for the program among committee members. The startup cost for what Thayn is calling the “8 in 6” program would be about $2.5 million, with the money going to pay for summer school courses for interested students.

But Thayn sees the costs as an investment, helping students take courses in high school and eventually requiring less state funding for college education. He estimates that the state could save as much as $14 million annually through the program.

He also believes families could save money because early graduation would mean students could stay at home and take dual enrollment courses instead of going off to college and incurring extra housing, food and tuition costs.

Taking dual enrollment course in high school could also boost Idaho’s rate of high school kids going to college. Some 46 percent of ordinary students go on to college or trade school after graduation, but that number is much higher for kids who utilize dual enrollment classes. Jason Hancock, a top state education agency aide, told committee members that about 80 percent of students who take dual enrollment classes in high school go on to college.

Hancock dubbed the dual enrollment courses as “rocket fuel” in the push to get more kids into college or trade school.

The younger Thayn didn’t address college, but did say her courses have made her a better learner and an independent thinker. “You don’t learn what your teacher needs you to learn, you learn what you need to learn,” she said.

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, supported the idea because it’s another way to get more students into college. “I appreciate your constant willingness to think outside the box and your creative approach,” said Cronin in referring to Rep. Thayn, though he believes the idea will need some refinement if it is implemented into law. “I think this is a good concept.”

Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, expressed similar sentiment. “I just hope we get the bugs worked out before it becomes law,” he said.

If Luna gets his way, the public schools state fund appropriation will be $1.273 billion, a jump of $57 million compared to this year’s budget.

There could also be stark revisions to Gov. Butch Otter’s budget if Luna’s budget is accepted by lawmakers. The superintendent is calling for Otter, instead of filling the public school reserve fund, to backfill $19 million in teacher pay cuts created by his 2011 education reform package.

Luna told lawmakers that reserves are important, but properly paying teachers is a higher priority.

Otter requested $30 million to fill the rainy day accounts, but Luna is asking that the backfilling be put first and saving put on the backburner. If lawmakers follow through on the request, teachers will see an overall 5 percent jump in pay when merit pay is enacted. Luna projects 85 percent of teachers will receive a bonus under his plan.

The teacher grid, the schedule lining out how teachers add more to their base salary, would also be fully-funded next year. The grid assesses teachers on classroom experience and college credits taken; that is, the more educators have of each, the more they earn.

The money for technological upgrades would go to several areas. Teachers and administrators would receive $2.5 million to buy laptops. Another $9 million would go to buy tech toys, including digital cameras, iPads, iPods and other electronic learning aids.

The 2013 budget includes $4.8 million in teacher development as teachers learn how to best integrate tech items into classroom learning.  Another $4 million would cover enrollment growth, down from the $12 million Luna projected in September.

The request also asks for $842,000 to pay for dual-enrollment classes for high school students who finish secondary education early and want to take college courses their senior year.

See Luna explain his initiatives to reporters below:

Remedial courses are necessary because high school graduates do not test well enough in some or all core subjects – math, English, reading, science – to qualify for acceptance into an entry-level college class.

Erik Makrush, a higher education policy analyst for the Idaho Freedom Foundation, says the problem is not with higher education. “It’s K-12. Students are not prepared enough to enter college and be successful. The problem just ends up at the higher ed level.”

Not surprisingly, the community colleges, which can function as transition schools between high school and four-year establishments, lead the way in remedial credits taken. The credits are also less expensive to take at community colleges.

Among the community colleges, the College of Southern Idaho reported 15,710 remedial credit hours at $105 per credit hour, followed by College of Western Idaho with 14,569 at $136 per credit hour, and North Idaho College with 11,262 at $121 per credit hour.

Four-year institutions report a smaller number of remedial credit hours. Idaho State University reports 8,043 credit hours at $273 per hour, followed by Boise State University with 5,787 hours at $273 per hour, Lewis and Clark with 2,644 hours also at $273 per hour, and, finally, the University of Idaho with 543 hours at $293 per credit hour.

The price of providing remedial training is costly, not only in Idaho, but nationwide as well. The Alliance for Excellent Education estimates the nation loses $3.7 billion a year because students are not learning basic needed skills, including $1.4 billion to provide remedial education for students who have recently completed high school.

Students who need remedial classes are also more likely to drop out: Those taking any remedial reading, for example, had a 17 percent chance of completing a bachelor’s degree, according to a 2004 U.S. Department of Education Department data.

Still, Makrush believes the community college model is useful for the state in transitioning students to a four-year school, giving them some training in a professional area and providing remedial courses. “More community colleges around the state may be a good idea. It’s cheaper and students can get their remedial education if they need it there before moving on to a four-year school, but wider access to other higher learning institutions, such as private or for-profit schools, is also a great option and creates competition among the higher education industry.  But the key to success is to not place greater demand on taxpayers already being stretched. We must find ways to achieve greater results with existing revenues,” he says. “The entrance requirements for colleges should also be more strict based on test scores. Colleges have become a business where people just keep coming and going and paying tuition.”

Postsecondary remediation is not without controversy, according to Dr. Peter Bahr, a professor at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan, who has done extensive research on community colleges. In his work in 2008, “Does mathematics remediation work?: A comparative analysis of academic attainment among community college students.” (Research in Higher Education, 49(5), 420-450), Bahr offers a pro and con rationale:

“On one hand, it fills an important niche in U.S. higher education by providing opportunities to rectify disparities generated in primary education and secondary schooling, to develop the minimum skills deemed necessary for functional participation in the economy and the democracy, and to acquire the prerequisite competencies that are crucial for negotiating college-level coursework.

“On the other hand, critics argue that taxpayers should not be required to pay twice for the same educational opportunities, that remediation diminishes academic standards and devalues postsecondary credentials, and that the large number of underprepared students entering colleges and universities demoralizes faculty. Following from these critiques, some have argued for a major restructuring of remediation or even the elimination of remedial programs altogether.”

American College Testing (ACT) scores throughout the state show that Idaho students mirror the national average. While looking at the scores isn’t definite proof of faltering education in K-12, it is telling of where Idaho students are in need of help.

- English is the highest category for the state based on ACT scores, with 72 percent being proficient. That’s higher than the national average of 66 percent.

- The next highest is reading at 59 percent proficiency. Again, the Idaho scores are higher than the national average of 51 percent.

- Math and science are both higher than national scores at 47 and 32 percent compared with 45 and 30 percent nationally.

ACT, in releasing its released its annual report on test scores, “The Condition of College and Career Readiness,” says that readiness for college is continuing to improve, but the data indicates there are still gaps.

A breakdown of the numbers shows across the nation, including Idaho, 25 percent of graduating high school students achieved all four ACT college readiness benchmarks. Approximately 28 percent of graduating seniors did not achieve the benchmark in any of the four subjects, and nearly 15 percent achieved the benchmark in only one subject.

Following the ACT report, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that American students are making “incremental” progress toward being able to complete college work, but added: “These ACT results are another sign that states need to raise their academic standards and commit to education reforms that accelerate student achievement.”

Makrush would like to see Idaho lead the way in reforming K-12 education: “I still think ultimately K-12 needs to make some serious changes to the way things are done.” He is hopeful education reforms proposed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna will produce some positive results. “This is not only a problem in Idaho, but around the nation. Idaho has a great opportunity and is poised to lead the nation in establishing higher standards and achieving greater results.”

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Note: Erik Makrush, policy analyst for the Idaho Freedom Foundation, assisted in the research for this story. IdahoReporter.com is published by the Idaho Freedom Foundation.

Photo courtesy of phlmetropolis.com

In one of its last acts before adjourning sine die, the Idaho House on Thursday passed legislation setting up a “Youth ChalleNGe” program, which is backed by the National Guard to help high school students earn a diploma.

The idea behind the program is to combine military-type discipline with traditional education. The program is designed for Idahoans ages 16-18 who have dropped out of high school. As many as 120 students could be at the school at one time.

The program would take over the vacant high school building in Pierce, in Clearwater County in north-central Idaho. In order for students to qualify for the program, they must not have a major criminal record. Students will be trying to get a General Educational Development certificate (GED).

The legislation was passed 58-10, with most who debated being in favor of it. The bill, S 1208, now goes to the governor’s desk for his consideration.

One of the dissenters, Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, thinks now is not the right time to be spending money on something like this. “We send people to Washington and say balance the budget, then turn around and spend money. This will come back to JFAC asking for money in a few years.” He added, “I think this is an excellent program but I don’t think we have the money right now.”

The state needs to pay $300,000 for its portion of the program for the next year, which would be covered by grants from the Idaho Department of Commerce, which go to support jobs and rural communities in Idaho. That money originally comes from the taxpayer-supported general fund, though it’s already been appropriated to the department. Most of the money for the program would be funded by the federal government. The Albertson Foundation has agreed to pay $450,000 for the program for four years.

Rep. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, believes this program is good for kids and good for the state. “This is a unique opportunity for the state of Idaho. We have a chance to improve these kids’ life skills.” Roberts also said the town and the county are happy about the school potentially coming to Pierce, which has suffered economically due to the closure of the town’s largest employer, a lumber company. “The county commission is in support of this program, the school district is as well. They are welcoming it with open arms.”

Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, likes the idea of the program as well. “We know from statistics that our prisons are filled with those who didn’t complete education. We have an opportunity here with kids who have stalled with their education to help them along,” she said.

Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, thinks Idaho’s correctional institutions will benefit from this program. “If we don’t pay for our youth now we will pay for them later in correctional institutions. We will end up paying three times as much if they are in jail than if they go through this program.”

Around 50 jobs for teachers and other staff could be created as a result of this program. The high school in Pierce would also be renovated. Currently there are 33 youth challenge programs in 27 states.

Currently, the average cost to enroll at school-sponsored drivers’ training programs is around $125 after subsidies. Proponents of the bill argue that state money should be spent elsewhere, and that for those school programs that cannot afford to keep their programs, the private sector can take over.

Thayn said this bill would redirect $2.2 million per year to the public school rainy day account. Another $100,000 would go to the Idaho Transportation Department. Along with that, an additional $1 million would be returned to the state’s general fund.

In both his opening and closing remarks, Thayn reiterated that, “this bill does not eliminate drivers’ training programs in public schools,” adding, “I simply think we should be putting money elsewhere.”

Rep. Stephen Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, couldn’t agree more, asking, “Why do we subsidize this program? It seems to me that if we sent this off to the private sector we would create jobs, and maybe even up the quality.”

Mike Ryals, who owns and operates a drivers’ training business in Eagle, supports the legislation. According to Ryals, there are currently only four states that provide subsidies for public school driving programs: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Wyoming is considering dropping the subsidies. “Washington dropped their program a few years back. I haven’t heard of any ill-effect from that. It’s not as if we’re trying to take away drivers’ training away from anybody.” Ryals also believes educators will end up taking advantage of this. “I think there will be lots of opportunities and I think you will see public educators starting their own businesses.”

Not everyone is happy with the proposed bill. Harold Ott of the Idaho Rural Schools Association believes safety will become an issue in rural parts of the state. “My biggest concern is we will have no private sector in those rural areas and kids will be driving without licenses or insurance. As this economy tightens, smaller districts will look to cut something, and without any subsidies it may be the driving program. Parents may also not be able to afford to pay the additional costs because a lot of these rural districts are poverty stricken.”

Committee chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene,  asked if kids would be driving without licenses if a program is not offered in their area. “I believe driving is a privilege, not a right,” he said. Ott replied, “Yes they will. I have witnessed it.”

Sherri Wood, Idaho Education Association, also opposed the bill. “We want 15 and 16-year-olds to be trained so that they are safe on the road. Access to a driver’s program will be an issue for these kids in rural areas.”

Rep. Susan Chew, D-Boise, also believes there will be an access issue in rural areas. “I believe we should return this to the sponsor. With regards to this (economic) downturn, the concept that an entrepreneur in a rural area will be able to go to the bank and get a loan to start a driving program is not going to happen. As for the role of the state in this, is it free enterprise trumps safety? I would say public safety trumps free enterprise.”

The bill now heads to the House floor with a do pass recommendation.

Some hail the spending, saying it will boost schools’ standing in the research world and help students compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Others, including U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, say any benefits realized do not justify heaping debt on future generations.

Just this month, Boise State University scored a big grant: $1.9 million to upgrade laboratories and utilities at the Micron Engineering Center. The award brings to $23.8 million the total Idaho institutions have received to pay for 31 science projects, including building construction, program development, and research.

The spending supports 37 jobs, according to the federal government’s stimulus tracking website, www.recovery.gov; however, three projects worth about $4 million have not yet been recorded on the website, which relies on recipient reports. The awards not on the recovery site are listed on other government websites that do not include information about jobs.

“The stimulus really created new opportunities,” said Mark Rudin, BSU vice president for research. This month’s award is BSU’s second for a building project. A $4 million grant — the largest science-oriented stimulus award in the state so far — is for construction on campus of a 9,300-square foot home for laboratory animals called a vivarium.

“It’s a watershed moment at the university,” said Rudin of the project. “It allows us an opportunity to expand to get additional resources.”

The vivarium, according to Rudin, will help the school become a premier biomedical research institution. The government shows the project providing no jobs, but construction work will surely result.

Stimulus money, including $2.5 million (five jobs) to establish a national geothermal database, has helped the school bring in more research money this year — an estimated $50 million as of August — than in any year before, according to President Bob Kustra.

The College of Idaho is also looking to expand research capabilities by improving a building. In September, the private school in Caldwell landed a $1.3 million National Science Foundation grant to renovate its 42-year-old Boone Science Hall. U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick voted against the stimulus package but celebrated the award, which he helped secure. In September, he called the project “critically important,” and said it helps the school “meet the growing needs of Idaho students who must compete in a global economy.” When asked to explain Minnick’s support, in light of his “nay” stimulus vote, Minnick campaign manager John Foster said in an e-mail: “Like the rest of the delegation, he felt he had an obligation to help his constituents … in cutting red tape and in getting a fair shake from the federal bureaucracy.”

A dissenting voice comes from U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, who also voted against the stimulus. He said he can’t endorse the science spending, despite the sorts of benefits claimed.

“While I am sure stimulus supporters can point to a number of areas where stimulus spending has created some positive benefit, the merit of any specific project or group of projects cannot justify the irresponsible debt the bill has piled on our children and grandchildren,” he said in an e-mail.

As for stimulus-funded research, $6.9 million is funding 25 projects, and 25 jobs. The projects include:

• Study to determine how to help post-menopausal women not drink too much and to find out how alcohol effects the thinking of women taking hormones — $81,000, 1.49 jobs, Idaho State University.

• Monitoring volcanoes in Alaska to learn how to better predict eruptions — $134,195, .13 jobs, BSU.

• Study of how climate change is affecting cities in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and northwestern Russia — $173,697, .58 jobs, University of Idaho.

• Examining properties of clouds over Greenland, to better understand climate change, through installing various analytical instruments — $898,138, .73 jobs, UI.

• Analyzing movement of moose and caribou in north-central Alaska — $93,602, .07 jobs, UI.

• Studies to learn more about mountain pine beetles, invasive plants, cancer and diabetes.

UI’s biggest award, $1.6 million (6.6 jobs), is aimed at developing the Idaho INBRE (IdeA Network of Biomedical Research) — much of the money was distributed to other institutions, including $443,000 to BSU. The largest award claimed by UI alone is $903,503 (5.2 jobs) to pay for study of diseases that can pass from animals to people. ISU’s largest science award — $910,000 (2.5 jobs) — is meant to “provide support” for a program using electromagnetic probes to study protons and neutrons at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator, according to the project description.

Two of the largest awards are for equipment: $710,000 to UI to build an advanced spectrometer and $610,000 to BSU to buy a “tunable femtosecond mode-locked laser system.”
 The spectrometer — which, put very simply, measures light wavelengths and intensities — will let researchers conduct an array of experiments not now possible at the school. In addition to facilitating new research, BSU’s laser will serve as a foundation for development of a new quantum optics and nanotechnology graduate program, according to the project description.

Total jobs resulting from the two equipment expenditures: 0.

“Some of the projects might be worthwhile,” like those aimed at combating disease or protecting people, said Jim Hollingsworth, a Tea Party-leaning political activist and contractor from Coeur d’Alene. He said some projects could lead to new jobs in the future, but added that government can’t be counted on to spend with maximum return in mind, as a business might.

“In the final analysis, if it really makes sense, the free market will pick it up,” Hollingsworth said of the research projects. “If it really makes sense, private industry will do it.”

Gov. Butch Otter and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced Friday the amounts each district will receive.  Schools districts will get money based on how much the state already has given them this year — larger school districts get more; smaller ones less.

The largest, Meridian Joint School District, receives the greatest share under the allocation table, $5.9 million.  Boise School District will receive about $4.6 million.

The money comes with strings attached.  Districts can only use it to pay salaries and benefits of teachers and administrators, as well as restore furlough days.  Schools cannot save the money in reserve accounts, nor can they pay for district-level staffers.  Officials have 27 months to spend it and must contact the Idaho Department of Education by Sept. 3 to accept the money.

Otter told district officials to be wise with federal funds in a letter released with the allocation table.  ”I must highlight these funds are one-time in nature,” wrote Otter.  He also asked school officials to utilize the funds to keep classroom sizes down.  ”I strongly urge districts accepting these funds to focus on preservation of student-teacher contact time,” he said.

When it was first revealed that Idaho would receive $51 million of the total $10 billion available in the jobs bill, Otter said, ”While I am leery about Congress continuing to spend beyond our grandchildren’s means, I realize that Idaho schoolchildren will be repaying this debt no matter what decision I make today.”

State lawmakers cut the public schools budget by 7.5 percent — $128 million — during the 2010 legislative session.  The total cuts for schools would have been higher if Luna hadn’t called on the Idaho Land Board, which manages the state’s reserve accounts, to release $22 million to shore up district budgets.

View statewide allocations here: Allocation table 8.20

Otter’s letter to school officials can be found here: Gov. Otter letter on Education Jobs

In a statement issued on the Idaho State Department of Education’s blog, Otter said that he is hesitant to take the money, but that he knows the money will aid local school districts, which will ultimately decide how funds are utilized, with some strings attached by Congress.  Here’s Otter’s full statement on the issue:

While I am leery about Congress continuing to spend beyond our grandchildren’s means, I realize that Idaho schoolchildren will be repaying this debt no matter what decision I make today. So I’ve decided to apply for an additional $51.6 million in one-time federal funds for Idaho’s public schools. I believe that any additional revenue, including this funding made available by Congress, should go straight into our classrooms to preserve student-teacher contact time by reducing furloughs and other local measures that have been taken.  I also join Superintendent Luna in encouraging local school districts to use this additional funding over two budget years while we maintain our focus on making progress toward economic recovery.  Funding for public schools remains one of our highest priorities for state government. The Legislature and I have put the largest percentage of General Fund dollars into K-12 education since 1989. With today’s decision I have directed more than $445 million in additional resources to public schools since 2009 to minimize the impact of state budget cuts. Over this same period, the unprecedented revenue decline has resulted in cutting the rest of state government by 19.5 percent.

Luna seemed more excited about the money than Otter.  Luna, who advocated for millions of dollars from the state’s reserve accounts for public education earlier this year, said that the federal money will aid Idaho teachers giving a quality education to students in the state.  Here’s Luna’s full statement:

This is great news for Idaho students and teachers. I’m pleased the Governor supports applying for the federal Education Jobs funding for Idaho schools.  As State Superintendent, I have strived to find additional sources of revenue to help keep student achievement moving forward in Idaho schools while not increasing our deficit in this tough economic time. This additional funding will help Idaho schools maintain one of my key priorities: preserving student-teacher contact time.

Districts are not free to use funds without limitations, however.  The bill approved by Congress outlines that federal dollars can be used to pay the salaries and benefits of teachers, but cannot be used to fund rainy day accounts, pay for district-level administration, or higher education.   Districts can use the money to eliminate furlough days, which many teachers have been facing as districts sought to save money without cutting teaching positions. Officials believe that states could start receiving money within 45 days.  Schools districts will have 27 months to spend the funds, allowing some flexibility for local officials.

Legislative Democrats called on Otter and Luna to act swiftly with federal funds and slammed the Republican majorities in the Idaho House and Senate for cutting $128 million from education during the 2010 session.  “We encourage Otter and Luna to quickly distribute these federal funds to our school districts to minimize the damage caused by the dramatic and unprecedented cuts that have occurred under Republican leadership in recent years,” said Lewiston Rep. John Rusche, who serves as the House minority leader.  Rusche’s counterpart in the Senate said that Democrats  stand ready to work with Republicans to improved education in the state.  “As we face the beginning of a new school year, parents and students are beginning to feel the impact that massive budget cuts have had on our children’s educational opportunities,” said Boise Sen. Kate Kelly, the Senate minority leader. “State leaders should be fully prepared to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity to invest in the next generation of Idahoans.  We will work with our Republican colleagues to get these resources into the classroom as soon as possible where it will do the most good.”

The town hall covered a broad range of policy topics, and Allred cemented his positions on many issues facing state government.  On education, he criticized the $128.5 million spending cut and came out in support of state-funded pre-school programs, but said charter schools shouldn’t be expanded.  Allred backed local option sales taxes for city development projects as well as increasing fees on large trucks in the state, but not raising the state gas tax to pay for transportation projects.

Allred tried to toe the line between the partisan divide on some policy issues.  When asked about civil unions for gays and lesbians, he said that their rights should be honored and protected, but didn’t call for overturning the state’s constitutional amendment against same sex marriage.  On abortion, he said the practice isn’t an appropriate form of birth control, but that it should be allowed in rare instances, including rape, incest, and threat to a woman’s health.

The Democratic candidate levied some attacks at the Republican Party and at the governor.  He said the GOP platform took party extremism to whole new levels and that some of its proposals, including a repeal of the 17^th Amendment and transition back to using gold and silver, ideas that would take Idaho 100 years into the past.

He also criticized the GOP platform’s candidate disclosure requirement, often called a loyalty oath.  “Folks, that is taking us the wrong direction,” Allred said.  “That is the problem, not the solution to our politics.”

Allred’s critiques of Otter ranged from the economy to immigration to health care.  Allred said the governor’s economic view is focused too narrowly on agriculture, mining, and timber, ignoring technology and other business sectors.

Allred also said Otter shouldn’t rail against the federal government for not solving the U.S.’s immigration issues when he didn’t propose immigration legislation during his six years in the House of Representatives.  “How does he with a straight face wag his finger at the Congress and say Congress needs to get its act together?” he asked the crowd.  “They have no shame, these career politicians.”

Allred repeated his call for repealing some sales tax exemptions.  “The most powerful single lever state government could pull would be to look at the $2 billion in tax exemptions that are on the books, and close those that don’t make sense to reduce the overall tax rate,” he said.  Allred added that powerful and connected interests are more likely than small businesses owners to lobby lawmakers for a tax break.

The sales tax brings in $1.2 billion annually, while exemptions total $1.7 billion.  Some of the largest exemptions are for medical services and production equipment.  Allred didn’t say which he’d like to get rid of, but is proposing a plan to have 1,000 citizens in each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts pour over the exemptions to determine which lawmakers should end.

Allred would like to see a similar crowdsourcing approach, asking a large number of citizens what they think about lowering health care costs.  “We have got to get serious about solving the problem and controlling the costs, and that will free up the resources to spend them where we really need them,” he said.  One option he did back was expanding medical services provided by nurses and other medical professionals that aren’t doctors as a potential way to lower costs and mitigate the state’s shortfall of doctors.

Allred has similar town hall events planned for Nampa and Lewiston in August, and said he’s still scheduling events in eastern Idaho.  Otter’s campaign manager, Debbie Field, said she is planning tele-town halls, where people could call in to ask the governor questions.

A poll released by Rasmussen this week showed Otter held a 17 percentage point lead over Allred, though that number has shrunk from similar polls in May and March.

Allred made an appearance Saturday at the Idaho Democratic Party’s state convention, at which he hammered Otter and the Legislature for the cuts.  He said that many schools around the state have outdated textbooks and supplies of those aren’t sufficient to allow students to take them home to use in studies.  Allred said that instead of cutting funding to public schools, lawmakers should have invested in more tax collectors for the Idaho State Tax Commission, which he said would have brought in about $60 million to the state’s coffers. Lawmakers did authorize the commission to bring on more tax collectors, though they believe they can bring in about $4.5 million in the next year.  Allred slammed the education cuts and Otter.  ”You know, Butch Otter likes to talk about the proper role of government, well the Founding Fathers dictated what the primary role of government is at the state level, and that is to provide a thorough system of public instructions.  As I’ve gone around the state and look at the face of these education cuts, this is not a thorough system,” Allred said.

Allred, who has continuously cast himself as a centrist and consensus-building candidate, said that conservatives do have at least one good point in their criticisms of funding for public schools.  ”Conservatives say just spending more money on education won’t make it better; they’re right and the evidence absolutely supports that,” Allred said, explaining that the state must increase funding up to adequate levels and then re-evaluate the cost efficiency of the current methods of public instruction.

Earlier this year, Allred announced that if he is elected governor in November, he would seek to work on health care reforms at the state level.  Allred said that if the state could produce a better health care system than the federal government – which he assured the state could do – the state would become exempt from many mandates found in the health care reforms enacted by Congress in March.  Since that announcement, Allred has taken his message around the state in campaign events, and he reports that Idahoans have generally been receptive to his idea for health care.  ”They like the idea of someone who will roll up their sleeves, go to work, and find practical solutions,” said Allred.

Before speaking at the convention, Allred explained his position on Idaho’s right-to-work law, in response to rhetorical fire he took on the issue from Republican leadership of the Idaho House of Representatives Friday.  In an interview with IdahoReporter.com Saturday, Allred initially refused to clarify his feeling toward right-to-work, but said that he has made no promises to labor leaders about the law.  He said that during his talks with labor representatives, he has told them that only ideas that can garner broad support from Idaho’s citizens and Legislature would be ideas he would pursue if elected governor.  ”I have made no commitment to repeal right-to-work and labor leaders have not asked for that,” he said.  When asked about his personal feelings about it, Allred said “I don’t think the governor’s platform is a place to advance personal feelings. I think it is a place to figure out what is in the interests of everyday Idahoans.”

A higher-than-expected number of Idaho Republicans voted for candidates other than Otter in the May 25 Republican primary election.  Allred said that as a centrist, he is looking to attract those dissatisfied with Otter over to his side by continually promising to be a governor who will listen to both sides before making a final decision.  ”It really is a place for independent, practical problem-solvers,” Allred said.  He pointed to the period in Idaho history in which Democrats occupied the gubernatorial seat, while Republicans controlled the Legislature, which would be a likely scenario if Allred prevails in November.  ”The only thing that actually got done, were things that looked wise to both Democrats and Republicans,” said Allred.