BOISE, Idaho — Governor Brad Little met with a group of 4th graders from Eagle Hills Elementary just before the State of the State address, using them as an example of Idaho's educational success.
During his speech, Governor Little recognized the students directly from the podium.
"Education has and always will be my top priority. Joining us today are students from Eagle Hills Elementary School. They're not just a 6-7 prop— [they're here] to remind us of why young people are at the heart of everything we do," Little said.
"Our 'Enduring Idaho' plan keeps public schools whole and ensures classroom funding is protected," Little added. "Idaho's public schools are the heart and soul of our communities, and our children are our future, which is why even in a year of reduced revenues, schools remain our top priority."
Watch Eagle Hills Elementary students get a shout-out during the governor's education speech.
Mason Bravo, a fourth grader at Eagle Hills Elementary, was among the students who experienced the Capitol visit.
"What I was doing here today was exploring the Capitol, going to the speech that the governor had, and we went to the governor's office, and it was really cool," Bravo said.
Lennon Tomco, another fourth grader from Eagle Hills Elementary, also attended the special event. "We were like meeting the governor, and we got to like go to the governor's speech at the Capitol," Tomco said.
When asked about being recognized during the governor's speech, Bravo was enthusiastic. "Felt great. I love when people shout me out," Bravo said.
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Tomco praised Governor Little's leadership. "I think he's doing a really good job as governor," Tomco added.
Derek Bub, superintendent for West Ada School District, brought nine fourth graders to the Capitol as special guests of the governor.
"We were special guests of the governor's," said Bub of the visit. "[It] fits perfectly within our Idaho standards— Idaho history is taught in 4th grade, so we brought a group of nine 4th graders here to be able to be part of this."
The students also had the opportunity to meet multiple political leaders during their visit.
"They also got to meet three former governors, so there was a total of 4 governors and their first ladies, together with them. That's something that I think they'll remember forever," Bub said.
"Eagle Hills is one of the best schools in the state. They lead the state in so many categories, whether they're first, second, third— they're in the top 10 every single year in literacy," Bub said.
With 84% of third through fifth graders scoring proficient or higher on the English language standardized test last year, Eagle Hills ranks sixth in the state among elementary and secondary traditional schools.
This success made them an ideal example for Governor Little as he spoke about his commitment to education while facing a tighter state budget.
"Keeping the public schools budget intact or being held harmless this year was very critical," Debbie Critchfield explained. "We don't want to go backwards."
Critchfield is the state superintendent of public instruction. She says holding public school funding steady is vital, especially when 85% of school budgets go toward teacher salaries.
She adds that Idaho's school funding system needs updating to match modern classroom needs.
"We have an outdated 30-year-old funding mechanism for public schools in place. It doesn't match the needs of the 21st-century classroom," Critchfield said.
The governor also spoke about "education freedom" in his address, promoting strong public schools alongside other options for Idaho families.
"Don't overlook the success and the good things that are happening in our neighborhood schools," Critchfield said.
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