BOISE, Idaho — Earlier this year, we sat down with Idaho Superintendent Debbie Critchfield about resisting education budget cut requests from lawmakers.
On Friday afternoon, Idaho News 6 received a press release from Critchfield about her request for $20 million in new operational funding, which she said is "[informed] by where schools are financially and what they need."
WATCH | Critchfield talks budget cut refusals
This allocation would "[allow] schools to address a variety of needs" and is "the largest source of dollars used to fund special education services," Critchfield shared in the release.
"... We remain committed to supporting students who need more to succeed while moving toward a solution that eliminates the need for one-time asks and constant negotiation. We want a funding formula that works for Idaho’s modern classrooms, and this budget request is an important step in that direction." — Superintendent Debbie Critchfield
Critchfield's funding request comes after a one-time funding appropriated by the Legislature to aid students with high-needs. According to Critchfield, this was a temporary solution.
She also shared that her department discussed 'overhauling Idaho's public school funding formula," which was initially set in 1994.
"Revising that formula to get the right funding into the right places will help solve problems for high-needs students, our educators, and our educational communities. It will create a flow of money that reflects today’s needs, not 1994’s." — Superintendent Debbie Critchfield
