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LUNA: Leader for state education

| September 17, 2010 5:37 AM

Tom Luna, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction, is meeting the challenge of improving education in these times of dwindling budgets. Under Luna's leadership Idaho has led the nation for two years in a row in the increase in the number of schools reaching our high academic goals, going from 26 percent to 66 percent. Now that's improvement!

Superintendent Luna set out to raise Idaho math achievement. He developed the Idaho Math Initiative, and as a result Idaho schools rose to 9th place in the nation on math scores for 8th graders. With achievements like these Tom Luna needs to be re-elected.

Of course Luna wanted to have a higher budget for the schools, but instead of whining about it, he went to work to find more money. He secured an additional $22 million for education by petitioning the Land Board. Times are tough, but Luna worked with the governor and legislature so that education budgets will be the first to be restored when economic times improve.

Tom Luna will continue to help Idaho schools get the most out of the precious dollars available. Teachers have risen to this task and Luna applauds their hard work and successes. He will continue to work with educators to get through the tough times and together focus on the achievement of students. We need to support Tom Luna in the November election.

MARV LEKSTRUM

Coeur d'Alene