Trib: Luna Botches Early Ed Decision

Jeers … to Idaho schools Superintendent Tom Luna. Last week, Idaho joined only 15 states to pass on a share of a $500 million federal Race to the Top early learning grant. That puts the Gem State behind not only Washington, Oregon and Nevada, but the commonwealth of Puerto Rico as well. Luna had signaled his intentions a month ago, saying he didn’t want to funnel one-time money into an ongoing state budget obligation. But Idaho’s proposal was so restrained - and its need for early childhood education so severe - that you have to question what Luna means when he uses the mantra “students come first” to prop up his scheme to neuter teachers’ collective bargaining rights and funnel taxes out of the classroom and into the coffers of online instruction companies. Idaho is among 10 states that spends nothing on prekindergarten programs/ Marty Trillhaase , Lewiston Tribune. Complete Cheers & Jeers column here.

Question: Did Luna do right thing by rejected federal Race to the Top early learning grant?