Sherri Ybarra for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction

After a successful first term serving Idaho's students and teachers, I am pleased to announce that I am seeking re-election next year.

It has been my honor to serve as Idaho’s Superintendent of Public Instruction and I need your support in this next election! I am thrilled for the opportunity to continue to work with you to create a bright future for our students and Idaho! I am running for re-election because like you, I know that Idaho needs strong experienced leadership to make sure our kids are getting the education they deserve.

I bring more than 20 years of experience in all phases of education -such as classroom teacher, Vice Principal, Principal, Federal Programs Director, Curriculum Director, and Idaho State Superintendent. I hold a B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in Educational Leadership, and an Ed.S. with an emphasis in the Superintendency and I am working on the completion of my Doctorate.

After living in Idaho for over 20 years I consider myself a true “Idahoan”. I live in Mountain Home with my husband of 18 years, and my 17-year-old son. My husband is a career law enforcement officer and veteran. I'm proud that he served our nation in Operation Southern Watch in Kuwait. I enjoy family time and make it a priority, with such activities as bowling, swimming, and baseball.

I am a strong advocate for local control of schools. On statewide decisions impacting children, I pledge to continue my collaborative vision and plan for education, working side-by-side with the Idaho Legislature and other elected leadership. I plan to maintain my “service first" agenda with Idaho's school districts. My motto still is, and will continue to be: "Supporting Schools and Students to Achieve."

We bring strong collaboration, strong community support and a fiscally conservative way of doing business.

Among the Accomplishments of My First Term as Idaho's Superintendent of Public Instruction:

• Updated the standards and now teach the “Idaho Content Standards” which took stakeholder feedback and was approved by the legislature.
• Local control: This is a vital component to a strong education foundation. Idaho is making gains in statewide testing and we successfully removed the graduation requirement and shortened the test.
• Established the first Parent Advisory Council, which meets quarterly to support students and ensure parents or grandparents have a voice. Members are nominated and serve from every region of the state and are pillars in their communities.
• Steady increases in graduation rates over the past two years. This demonstrates the new initiatives are on the right track!
• Cost savings: Saved $1.3 million in FY15 and $4.4 million in FY16 by putting internet contracts back into the hands of our local districts; those savings were converted back into the General Fund, and is another example of local control.
• Launched a comprehensive anti-bullying initiative that uses a team approach to address harassment and safety in our schools.
• Steady improvement in test scores over most districts while assessing ways to maintain local controls and not bow to pressures from federal government funding.
• New Teacher Recruitment Initiative to encourage and showcase the merits of a teaching career encouraging more potential Idaho teachers to join the profession.