Howard’s
re-election bid is based on
her record
By DANA
DUGAN
Express Staff Writer
Running
for re-election as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Marilyn Howard is also managing the administration of the largest budget
in the state. As one only two elected Democrats in state office, even
Howard concedes the race she is in with Republican Tom Luna and
Libertarian Robbie Kier has attracted special interest.
In her
election four years ago, when she beat Republican Anne Fox, it was
"The independent voice of Idaho," speaking, Howard said in an
interview.
Marilyn
Howard
Howard
hopes that voters will continue to vote by "looking at the record
and vote on the basis of facts. I made promises four years ago and I
delivered."
One of
the reasons she has been able to deliver on those promises, Howard said,
is her good relationship with the Legislature. Members of both parties
come to the Department of Education to review issues. "There’s a
lot of respect. I feel they’ve listened."
Things
were not always thus. "Four years ago the Department of Education
was in a near crises. We now have credible support for the
schools," she said. "The school districts work very
collaboratively with other organizations such as the Legislature."
She
called her operating budget of $275.9 million "clean and
clear," not only with state funds but also with federal funds.
"There
is more money in the budget now, and we ought to give the Legislature
credit for that. I asked for increases in compensation throughout the
entire system. The Legislature responded. We were able to make salaries
a bit more competitive."
Born and
raised in Mackay, Howard is Idaho’s 23rd State Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
She
received her bachelor’s degree in education in 1960, and a master of
science degree in education in 1965, both from the University of Idaho.
She earned a doctorate in education in curriculum and instructional
science from Brigham Young University in 1986. Howard also completed
postgraduate work at Idaho State University, and has served as an
adjunct faculty member at both ISU and UI.
Howard
taught junior high school history and language arts at elementary and
secondary schools in Idaho and Washington. In 1988, she was appointed
principal at Moscow’s West Park Elementary School, and in 1992 she
became the Supervisor of Developmental Pre-School for the Moscow School
District.
As
superintendent of public instruction she is the chief administrative
officer for the State Department of Education, and serves on the State
Board of Education and the State Land Board. She is also a member of the
Council of Chief State School Officers, a director of the Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory, and one of Idaho’s representatives to
the Education Commission of the States.
Her
Republican opponent, Tom Luna, has cited her experience as an educator
and not as a businessperson as a reason there is perceived inefficiency
and soaring budget in the department.
"The
reality is the state budget money goes to school districts and is
targeted for special purposes. It is heavily monitored at the local
level and by the Legislature." If there is a charge of
inefficiency, the question should be directed to the local district, she
said.
As a
school administrator she had many managerial tasks, including managing
school budgets, hiring and firing, inventory, overseeing the setting of
goals and measuring against those goals. Asked the difference between
her and a businessperson’s experience she said, "I couldn’t
borrow and had to live within my budget."
During
her administration as superintendent of public instruction, she has
overseen the implementation of the Idaho Reading Initiative, additional
grant funds to begin character education and family literacy projects,
and the implementation of the state’s new K-8 and 9-12 Achievement
Standards Testing.
Another
of Howard’s projects is Grow Your Own, which is devised to provide a
career ladder program to assist school district employees and volunteers
in completing requirements for an associate or baccalaureate degree in
education, with a bilingual and/or English as Second Language
endorsement.
"The
intent is to help our students learn" by having additional support
in the classrooms, she said.
She has
also increased the amount of money for the ESL program. This has been
consistent with increased number of Hispanic students who have come into
the state with a limited knowledge of English, she said.
"We
undertook a study last year as a better way to serve the ESL. In
addition to that we reached out to the Hispanic students."
The IRI
can now be given in both languages to better assess what a student
knows. And parents are given parental guides in both Spanish and
English.
"Federal
monies are directed to high need areas. We look to where the needs
exist. We recognize that students will need to be fluent. The programs
need constant scrutiny and research on the best available
information."
Howard
said she has tried to represent what is best for education. "I hope
people understand it’s apolitical. It’s about what’s good for kids
and education. It’s the issues that are most important. Our goal is to
find the best ways to educate our kids."