Education is Freedom Power Idaho
Preparing Our Children for the Future
Every Idaho child deserves a quality education. Lt. Governor Bedke has worked tirelessly throughout his career to prioritize the importance of every student’s education. During his time as Speaker of the House, Lt. Governor Bedke helped facilitate historic investments in Idaho public schools, including increasing funding by more than 60 percent. In 2022 alone, 80% of Idaho voters approved of the $330 million investment in public schools, a 16.4 percent increase in K-12 education funding. Our students are benefiting – K-3 literacy rates are seeing impressive gains.
Good teachers are vital to a state’s success, because a successful business climate begins with a good education system. Teacher’s starting pay has seen a $6,300 increase and additional funds for teacher benefits have been allocated statewide. Our students and families deserve quality teachers who are competitively compensated.
As a parent and grandparent himself, Lt. Governor Bedke wants to continue to put parents in the driver’s seat of their child’s education. Idaho has some of the fewest restrictions on allowing parents to choose where to send their student, as well as hundreds of K-12 education options, from public schools, to private, charter, magnet, online, and homeschooling. The Empowering Parents Program is successfully helping families take charge of education expenses outside of the traditional classroom.