Schools Chief Supports Iea’s ‘Visions For Change’ Proposal

Anne Fox, Idaho’s top education official, likes a lot of the Idaho Education Association’s vision for Idaho schools.

After a two-year study, the IEA this week is releasing “Visions for Change,” its plan for the future of education.

“It’s exciting to see the teachers see their hopes and dreams for school involvement and for developing exciting, safe, nurturing, inventive school environments,” Fox said.

She was elected state superintendent of public instruction last year, beating former IEA president Will E. Sullivan by 56,319 votes in what essentially was an anti-IEA campaign promising change.

The IEA unveiled “Visions for Change” in a news conference in Meridian on Monday, the first in a week-long series. Tuesday’s session was in Jerome, followed by Idaho Falls and Blackfoot today, Lewiston on Thursday and Naples on Friday.

Most people active in education liked the overall plan, but some said it was unrealistic “pie in the sky” and they didn’t like parts of it.

Fox said the document emphasizes parental and community involvement, as she does, and promotes practical experience for students in the work place as well as a flexible school day.

“I would support that as long as academics are first, and the work isn’t overtaking the opportunities for learning the basic curriculum,” Fox said.

New state Board of Education member Jerry Hess, Nampa contractor, said he liked the plan’s suggested link between education and technology, but it should go further.

“We haven’t changed the method of delivering education for a very, very long time,” he said. “We need to have a segment of education that’s linked with industry, to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of education.”

Sullivan, an elementary school principal at Payette, said most of the plan could be put into effect without much expense. “It’s a change in attitude,” he said.

But Darrel Deide, superintendent at Caldwell, said those who prepared the plan “are looking through rosecolored glasses. They should have been more concerned with output rather than input.

“It’s obviously written by teachers for teachers,” Deide said.

State Sen. Jerry Thorne, R-Nampa, said, “If the IEA is serious about accomplishing the goals, I hope they will work to become an association again and abandon their union mentality.”