Sherri Ybarra, the Republican candidate for Idaho state superintendent of schools, has claimed throughout her campaign that she was working on her doctorate in education at the University of Idaho and would receive it in August, but the university reports today that she instead received an educational specialist degree, not a doctorate. University spokeswoman Andrea Barlow said Ybarra was awarded an educational specialist degree with an emphasis in education leadership.

Ybarra’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment; she now says on her campaign website that she received an “EdDs in Educational Leadership” in August of 2014. The U of I offers an Ed.D degree, a doctorate in education, and a Ph.D degree, a more research-based educational doctorate. It doesn’t offer a doctorate matching Ybarra’s description. Its educational specialist degree is referred to as an Ed.S degree.

Jerry Evans, former longtime Republican state superintendent of schools in Idaho, said, “There’s a lot of difference between an educational specialist and a doctorate.” He noted that the specialist degree is the certification that’s required to serve as a school district superintendent in Idaho; a doctorate is not required. “I had the specialist, but I didn’t have the doctorate,” he said. “It goes well beyond.” You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.

The University of Idaho’s educational specialist degree requires 30 credits above a master’s degree, Barlow said. An Ed.D degree requires extensive additional study, exams, and a dissertation.