Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s plan to trim the duties of the state Board of Education by moving a slew of agencies out from under its oversight has hit a snag: the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The division turns out to be one of the highest-performing of its type in the nation, with stellar numbers for helping disabled Idahoans learn new skills and find jobs. Administrator Michael Graham told lawmakers Tuesday that many of the agency’s clients have become taxpayers and are “adding real value to the state. That’s part of our mission.” Wayne Hammon, Otter’s budget chief, said the rest of the reorganization plan for the State Board of Education is moving forward, but the administration will wait a year and study the situation before shifting the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation over to the state Department of Labor. “We don’t want to do any harm,” Hammon said. “If it’s doing well, great. If it can be improved, better. … When we do it, we want to do it right.” You can read my full story here in today's Spokesman-Review.

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