BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Governor Brad Little received a Charter School award at Cardinal Academy for signing the Accelerating Public Charter Schools Act earlier this year. I took the opportunity to ask the Governor what the future holds with possible cuts to the Department of Education under the Trump Administration.
Brad Little was honored Tuesday morning with the Charter School Champion from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Little signed the Accelerating Public Charter Schools Act earlier this year.
"This school right here is exactly what we're talking about — it's out of the box, unique and it's a partnership with the Salvation Army and with the Old Booth Home," Little said.
That partnership is highlighted every year during the Annual Idaho News 6 Baby Shower.
RELATED: 18th annual Community Baby Shower comes to a close, donation totals available here.
As far as the future of public education in Idaho goes, I asked Governor Little about President-elect Trump's plan to gut the Department of Education in Washington.
"They have to have a Department there to send us money. If they totally do away with the Department, I'll assume they'll do away with the money. Some of the things the Feds help us out with are things we have to do specifically in the special education area."
I asked the Governor what happens now.
"Now that the election is over, we'll sit down with the State Board, the State Department of Education, and our Legislative partners. I'm going to meet with legislators tonight at a leadership conference up north and then we'll go to work," Little said. "But there's going to be a lot of changes. The challenge is going to be greater in other states — we are much better suited to have something disruptive come from the federal government than the other states and, in fact, we encourage it."
With President-Elect Trump already announcing a number of new appointments, we should know sooner than later what the future holds for the Department of Education.
