For school Superintendent Tom Luna, even a modest attempt to improve Idaho's abysmally poor effort to prepare preschoolers for a lifetime of learning was a step too far. Luna turned thumbs down on a $50 million, multi-year federal Department of Education "Race to the Top" early learning grant. The grant had Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter's blessing, but without Luna's support, it's going nowhere. While children in most states profit from expanded preschool offerings, Idahoans will fall further behind. Only 10 states spend nothing on prekindergarten programs. Idaho, of course, is on the list, along with Montana, Utah and Wyoming. Idaho also spends nothing on Head Start, relying solely on federal support/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

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Question: Was Superintendent Tom Luna right in turning down the $50M Department of Education early learning grant?