LUNA: Best leader for students

Did you know that only eight states in the nation had higher math scores than Idaho in 2008? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this is the case and it's no accident. It's a direct result of Sate Superintendent Tom Luna's leadership.

We all know that a strong grasp of mathematics is essential to being successful in today's job market, and students become motivated when math is made relevant to them. The question is how to accomplish this. In the past, teachers have not been provided proper training or the tools to make math relevant.

However, when Tom Luna came into office he began the Idaho Math Initiative. Instead of another unfunded mandate, Luna secured funding to help train teachers in math instruction. He structured the Idaho Math Initiative to be relevant by providing hands-on math and practical intervention tools for students lagging behind.

Not only is Idaho ninth in the nation when it comes to math, we were also one of only a few states to show improvement in math scores since 2007. With results like these, it's obvious that we need the continued leadership of Tom Luna for our students.

JERRY TEFFT

Hayden