The Idaho Department of Education shared on Friday that their application for nearly $4.8 million was funded by the U.S. Department of Education.The IDE said that the funds would be used over the course of three years "through [ the U.S. Department of Education's] Exploration Grand Program," which allows students to better bridge what they learn in school to their goals for the future. Here in Idaho, weve woven student readiness into every step of a childs K-12 education, opened up career pathways, and worked to codify the essential link between the system that educates our students and the system that employs them. Idaho schools already give students incredible opportunities to build skills in the classroom or through athletics, clubs, leadership, and beyond. This investment will help students make meaning from those experiences, recognize the skills they are developing, and learn how to articulate what they know and can do. Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie CritchfieldThis includes "[documenting] learning from experiences like class projects, athletics, jobs, community service, and leadership roles," and helping students understand and explain their skills.According to IDE, Idaho's project was one of five chosen for funding. As students build on their experiences, theyll have a record of how their learning has prepared them for whats next and an appreciation for the learning theyll embark on after high school. Id like to thank our federal partners for finding ways to elevate the good work that states are already doing while allowing them to remain in the drivers seat when it comes to creating programs and initiatives that address the needs of the students and communities they serve. Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie CritchfieldThis comes after we told you about Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield's plans to resist education budget cut requests from lawmakers and request $20 million for new operational funding. ...read more read less