CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — An $8 million federal grant will help Boise State University expand its teacher training programs in rural Idaho, with the goal of recruiting, preparing and retaining more educators in communities where schools face staffing challenges.
Boise State President David Hahn visited Parma Elementary School on Monday to see how the university is working with local school districts to strengthen Idaho's teacher workforce.
The funding will support Project TRAIL, a five-year initiative partnering Boise State with nine school districts across southwestern Idaho. The program pairs future educators with experienced teachers, giving them hands-on classroom experience, mentorship and additional support as they begin their careers.
WATCH: $8 million federal grant aims to bring more teachers to rural Idaho classrooms
"What I think this does is it allows us first to specifically target rural schools where sometimes they perhaps were being underserved," Hahn said.
The initiative is designed to expose future teachers to opportunities in rural communities while providing additional resources to help them succeed in the classroom.
Hahn said the experience goes beyond learning how to teach academic subjects. New educators also need to develop skills in classroom management, communicating with parents and building relationships with students.
"So we're really trying to bridge that gap by placing them with more experienced teachers through that mentorship role," Hahn said.
The goal is not only to prepare more teachers but also to encourage them to build long-term careers in communities like Parma.
Some future educators are already coming full circle, returning to the schools and communities where they grew up.
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield, who joined Hahn during Monday's visit, said those opportunities are particularly meaningful for rural communities.
"It's a full circle moment when we see individuals who are choosing education and then choosing to work in the community that they grew up in," Critchfield said.
Critchfield said recruiting and retaining teachers outside the Treasure Valley remains an important priority for Idaho schools.
She emphasized that investing in educators also has a direct impact on students, particularly when teachers have the training and support needed to address individual learning needs.
"An effective teacher builds that relationship, understands where that child is in their academic progress, where the gaps are and what they need to do," Critchfield said.
Beyond teacher recruitment and training, Project TRAIL will also expand family literacy resources and provide opportunities for experienced educators to serve as mentors and leaders.
The initiative aims to strengthen student literacy while helping school districts develop a more sustainable teacher workforce.
The program will run over the next five years, with nine school districts across southwestern Idaho participating.
For Canyon County happenings, news, and more— join our Facebook Group: 2C Neighborhood News - Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton
