Gubernatorial appointees Wallace Hedrick and Sean Keogh brief Senate Education Committee on charter oversight and system priorities

Wallace Hedrick, nominated to the Idaho Public Charter School Commission, and Sean Keogh, nominated for reappointment to the State Board of Education, appeared before the Senate Education Committee to outline their backgrounds and priorities.

Hedrick, introduced as a fourth-generation Idahoan with 41 years in the West Ada School District and with Meridian Technical Charter High School, said the charter commission should help struggling charters with training, financial and academic support while allowing high-performing charters to focus on continued success. ‘‘We need to evolve. Charters need to evolve. Public education needs to evolve,’’ Hedrick said, describing a mix of interventions such as board training and assistance on fiscal and enrollment challenges.

Senator Cook asked how the charter sector’s innovations could be better shared with district-run schools. Hedrick said cooperation between charters and districts — including shared use of facilities and programs — would help transfer successful practices.

Sean Keogh, a current state board member seeking another term, reviewed his first term, noting intense state-board involvement during COVID-19 and recent system priorities. Keogh cited work on a statewide literacy plan, a dyslexia handbook, increased K–3 literacy intervention funding and rising postgraduation college enrollment. ‘‘Our high school graduates enrolling in Idaho public institutions the fall immediately following their graduation increased 9% between the fall of 2023 and the fall of 2024,’’ Keogh said, and resident enrollment at public institutions rose between 3% and 8% this year.

Keogh said a continued focus on elementary reading and math, career-technical education and career exploration would be priorities in another term. Senators thanked both nominees and noted that the committee would take any formal votes at a later date.