Putting education resources in place
COEUR d'ALENE — Gov. Butch Otter said when he first decided to run for governor, business leaders told him they couldn't hire students coming out of high schools.
"We have got to change what's coming out of high school," Otter told attendees gathered in the Driftwood Bay room at North Idaho College on Wednesday evening. "By and large, they were alarmed that the folks coming out of our high schools were not prepared to work. That's why we started focusing on education."
Otter spoke to more than 30 North Idaho business and education leaders who attended the event, which was sponsored by Idaho Business for Education, North Idaho Chambers of Commerce, and NIC. The governor's remarks centered around the links between a thriving businesses community and a well-educated workforce, while encouraging members of the community to keep their local school districts accountable when it comes to classroom achievement.
"This very day we've got 33,000 people in Idaho that are out of work. We've got 20,000 jobs we can't fill because they're not qualified to fill those jobs," Otter said, adding that by 2020 the state would have 95,000 jobs that cannot be filled due to a lack of qualifications for the positions amongst the workforce.
Until last year, Otter said, the state had five-year plans for everything from building highways to parks, but never a plan for advancing education.
That changed when Otter launched his five-year plan to overhaul the state's public education system. The first year of the plan was passed by the Idaho Legislature last year, and Otter said it focused on creating a career ladder for teachers.
"Because the most important tool we have in the classroom today is the teacher," Otter said. "If you don't have a teacher in the classroom that is challenging the created genius that God gave each and every one of us to the best of their ability, then you're not going to have the result that we need for our workforce in the state of Idaho."
Year one is under the state's belt, Otter added, and recommendations for improving education are underway. However, the governor said the state will not be successful in its efforts without assistance from individuals like those gathered at NIC.
He challenged attendees to regularly attend local school board meetings so they can then challenge board members to make academic achievement their No. 1 focus.
"If something is not working, if we're not getting the results that we need, then we're going to have to go back to that school board and tell them they're going to need to change some things," Otter said. "Get involved. And get involved as soon as you can."
During the upcoming legislative session, Otter said, the state is going to "put the resources in place" when it comes to public education.
"You're going to see a budget this year that's going to suggest, I hope, to the education industry in this state that we're serious about this and that we're going to hold them accountable for the resources they get," Otter said. "You've got to help us hold them accountable."
The governor opened the floor to several questions from audience members before heading to The Coeur d'Alene Resort to deliver a similar message at the Idaho School Board Association's annual convention.