Governor Little encouraged Idaho parents to apply for a new Parent Advisory Council to help implement, administer and improve the Empowering Parents grant program.
The Empowering Parents grant program provides eligible family funds for educational services and devices like tutoring services or computers to compensate for potential losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Recognizing the parents’ role as the primary decision-makers in their children’s education, we created the Empowering Parents grant program to help families take charge of learning tools outside the classroom,” Little said in a press release. “The Parent Advisory Council will advise the State Board of Education on ways to strengthen the Empowering Parents grant program.”
Any parent living in Idaho who has a K-12 child in Idaho can apply with preference given to those applying for the Empowering Parents grant or who intend to do so. The board will announce its seven members representing communities across the state on May 15.
Debbie Critchfield, Superintendent of Public Instruction, serves as the nonvoting chair of the Parent Advisory Council.
“Input from parents is essential and this is one more way we can tap into parents to help shape Idaho education,” Critchfield said. “I’m excited to work with the council and hear directly from parents on how we can take advantage of all that Empowering Parents offers our state.”
Critchfield and the council members will travel the state to meet with and hear from Idaho families about the Empowering Parents grant program during the summer. The council will prepare a report with recommendations to the State Board of Education to be heard in the fall.
Applications for the council will be accepted through April 30. For more information on how to apply, visit the Empowering Parents website.