Our History

In July of 2007, Governor Otter addressed the Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence (IBCEE). The Governor expressed a desire to strategically place Idaho on track to becoming a global leader in providing high-quality, cost effective education to the citizens of Idaho.

Governor Otter stated his hope that the IBCEE would facilitate a group of educational stakeholders who would collectively develop a broad framework for improving Idaho’s education system.

IBCEE accepted the charge, which was consistent with an IBCEE founding principle to bring education stakeholders in Idaho together and which transcended the agenda of any one group or agency.

Recognizing that everyone is to some degree a stakeholder in the education process, an IBCEE steering committee agreed to invite representatives from a broad array of governmental and non-governmental entities who could collectively view education from a variety of perspectives.

All contacted organizations graciously agreed to participate. In what may be the first of its kind for Idaho, the Education Alliance of Idaho formed. This was a historic and unique opportunity to have a diverse group of key education stakeholders come together and agree to this critically important initiative.

Success will require strong leadership from the Governor and the State Superintendent, along with combined leadership and support of the organizations in the Education Alliance.

Membership

The Education Alliance of Idaho is a coalition of key stakeholders in the Idaho education system. The core purpose of the Education Alliance is one of advocacy and advice.

The Education Alliance does not have authority in statute, nor does it control policymakers. Instead, the organization’s influence on the future of the education system in Idaho comes from that of its members. In addition to the IBCEE, which serves as a facilitator, the group consists of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation and representatives from the Idaho Education Association, Idaho Association of School Administrators, Idaho School Boards Association, Idaho Parent Teacher Association, Idaho Digital Learning Academy, State Board of Education, State Department of Education and the State Division of Professional- Technical Education.