The Kevin Richert Podcast

This week we recap the closely watched first debate between state superintendent candidates Sherri Ybarra and Cindy Wilson.

This week several education leaders challenged State Supt. Sherri Ybarra to put together a big, bold school budget proposal. We'll explain why next year's budget will be closely watched.

After two years of build up, a new public school funding formula began taking shape this week. We'll explain what change might be coming, and where lawmakers might encounter opposition.

Episode 121: The Medicaid expansion butterfly effect by Idaho EdNews

This week on Extra Credit we take a closer look at SAT scores and explain why transparency matters and why we filed an open meeting law complaint against the New Plymouth School District.

This week we take a closer look at campaign finance reports, and point out who failed to file the required disclosure forms by last week's deadline. Plus, state officials are concerned with the latest round of SAT results. We'll explain why.

Episode 118: An open (and closed) discussion of K-12 funding by Idaho EdNews

This week, we dig deeper into the unexpected announcement that President Chuck Staben is leaving University of Idaho after the upcoming school year — and the unanswered questions surrounding his departure.

Last week, the State Board of Education abandoned its search for a new Boise State University president and voted to start the process over again. We'll explain what happens next, and how much the state has spent so far on the failed search.

We break down all the primary results and take a look ahead to November's biggest races. We'll also explain why so much will be at stake for Idaho's schools as the state responds to widespread political turnover.

With just four days remaining until the 2018 Idaho primary elections, we highlight the most interesting races and break down the latest campaign finance reports and election news.

With just 11 days to go until the May 15 primaries, we take a closer look at the state superintendent's race and last Friday's Republican debate between incumbent Sherri Ybarra and challenger Jeff Dillon.

This week both the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates mixed it up in a series of statewide debates. We'll go behind the scenes with Idaho Education News journalist Kevin Richert to take a closer look at the race.

With the May 15 primary elections on the horizon, several races have heated up. Catch up on the latest developments from the governor's, state superintendent's and lieutenant governor's races.

This week three of the four candidates running for superintendent of public instruction introduced themselves to voters at our candidate forum. Take an inside look at the forum and find out what we will be watching in the days leading up to next month's primary elections.

With the legislative session complete, it's time to focus on the mad political dash to next month's contested primary elections. We'll explain why Republicans and Democrats alike have plenty of reasons to vote.

After 80 unpredictable days under the Statehouse rotunda, the Idaho Legislature finally adjourned this week. We'll break the ending down — and look ahead to May's primary election.

With the legislative session all but wrapped up, we break break down the education issues, point out the session's winners and losers and explain what everything means for students and teachers.

The Idaho House killed an important education bill over concerns about how to move forward testing students' reading abilities. The politics involved are fascinating, the stakes are high and the debate may delay the end the of legislative session.

Over the course of 20 hours this week, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra saw two of her big legislative initiatives fail. We'll explain what happened, and catch you up on all the week's top stories.

A private school scholarship bill that some critics say has the potential to divert funding from public schools passed the Idaho House by a thin margin this week. Plus, the latest election 2018 filings and a look at two bills that could spell changes for school elections.

The Senate Education Committee approved a new slate of proposed science standards in full, potentially writing the final chapter in a three-year saga that made national headlines. Plus, budget writers set the K-12 public school budget without any real debate.

A new week brings a new controversy to the Idaho Legislature. Find out why legislators are divided over a proposal to update sex education laws. Plus, find out why Gov. Otter appears to be giving up on one of his top education proposals before it even gets off the ground.

For the second straight year, Idaho lawmakers voted to remove references to climate change and human impact on the environment from public school science standards. Plus, both candidates running for superintendent of public instruction got caught up in a debate over new graduation rates.

Two days of politically charged hearings over a proposed new set of public school science standards shook up the Idaho Statehouse this week. We'll break the debate down on this week's podcast.