Idaho teacher-education alliance tells Senate committee colleges collaborate on literacy, retention and alternative pathways

Representatives of the Idaho Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (IACTE) told the Idaho Senate Education Committee on Jan. 22, 2025, that colleges and universities across the state are collaborating on teacher preparation, literacy instruction and programs designed to recruit and retain teachers in Idaho classrooms.

Bridal Blevins, identified in the committee record as dean of the College of Education at the University of Idaho and representing IACTE, said member institutions include the state's four-year public colleges and private providers and that they meet regularly to align training, assessments and clinical placements for future teachers. "We are a collection of representatives from Idaho's regionally accredited colleges and university with state approved educator preparation programs," Blevins said.

IACTE highlighted three goals: explain who IACTE is, describe educator-preparation work, and identify how the group can assist legislators. Members described multiple pathways into teaching, including traditional four-year programs and alternative routes for paraprofessionals and practicing educators such as programs referenced in the committee record as PACE, PACT and IMPACT. Presenters also said they are partnering with the Idaho Division of Career-Technical Education and the Idaho Department of Education on registered apprenticeship programs.

On literacy, Whitney Ward, a professor at Northwest Nazarene University and a member of the Idaho Higher Education Literacy Partnership (I HELP), told the committee that Idaho is "one of only eight states in the nation that covers all of the components of early literacy" and said the state ranks among the top five in a National Council for Teacher Quality measure identified by the presenters. Ward attributed those results to statewide coordination through I HELP.

Presenters said educator-preparation programs use common tools such as the Danielson framework and individualized professional learning plans, rely on sustained clinical experiences with mentor teachers, and participate in state program review and, for four-year public institutions, national accreditation (the committee record cites CAPE or "AQUAP").

Committee members pressed presenters on several classroom challenges. Senator Ward Engelking asked about escalating student behavioral issues and the role of social media and trauma; Blevins replied that students are arriving with more complex needs and that teachers are often filling multiple roles beyond instruction, including food assistance, translation and social-emotional support. "Teachers cannot continue to do it all," Blevins said, and she urged more school-based counselors, psychologists and special-education staff to support classroom teachers.

Laurie Sanchez of Northwest Nazarene University and Sherry Disbuke, assistant dean at Boise State University, emphasized retention. Disbuke summarized research the institutions have done showing higher retention rates for new teachers who receive continuing support during their first years in the classroom; presenters asked the committee to consider policies that support induction and mentoring programs for early-career teachers.

Lewis-Clark State College representative Bridal Toy told the committee that special-education teachers are under particular strain because of time-consuming IEP requirements and the need to align interventions across school and home, and she asked that policy solutions consider supports for special-education staff.

The presenters closed by inviting legislators to tour local teacher-preparation programs and partner schools and attend a legislative reception that the group planned that evening. "We want to partner with you to improve Idaho education for all students," Blevins said.

What the committee record does not show: no specific funding requests, dollar amounts, or draft legislation were presented during the session. The presenters described ongoing collaborative work, program evaluations and national-accreditation processes but did not propose specific statutory changes at the hearing.