Debbie Critchfield sends message to Idaho’s school officials after Election Day – Idaho Capital Sun

You’d assume {that a} candidate may wish to take a brief break after 18 months of campaigning and scoring a landslide victory on election evening.

Not Debbie Critchfield, the resounding winner of the race for state superintendent of public instruction. The day after the election, she was on an airplane to the State Faculty Board Affiliation Convention in Coeur d’Alene to satisfy with college board members all through the state, superintendents and enterprise managers.

It wasn’t probably the most lavish victory celebration after getting nearly 70% of the vote in her victory over Democrat Terry Gilbert. However Critchfield says she wouldn’t have it every other manner.

“That is the place I must be – with the people who find themselves doing the work for his or her native communities,” Critchfield informed me.

And it gave her a possibility to ship a message that the bureaucratic divisions between the Division of Schooling and the State Board of Schooling are coming to an finish. Not surprisingly, she acquired a heat reception to her victory from lots of acquainted faces. Critchfield, who lives in Oakley, is a former board member with the Cassia college district and a former president of the State Board of Schooling. Throughout her marketing campaign, Critchfield acquired an earful of complaints and issues from college officers.

“What I heard earlier than the election and after, amongst different issues, was there was a divide between the Division of Schooling and State Board,” Critchfield stated. “For districts, it has been difficult and irritating to have two totally different messages, and sometimes, two totally different interpretations on questions on legal guidelines and coverage.”

Critchfield touts her robust working relationship with State Board President Kurt Liebich, in order that’s at the least one factor she gained’t want to determine within the transition to her new job.

Her go to to Coeur d’Alene, she says, is an instance of what’s to return as state superintendent. She will likely be on the street rather a lot, speaking and listening to educators all through the state. However the street present must wait a bit. Her fast precedence is getting ready for the legislative session, fine-tuning the funds and assembly with a slate of recent legislative leaders and committee chairs.

“That’s what my December will appear to be,” Critchfield says.  In the course of the session, legislators – who complained about lack of entry with outgoing Superintendent Sherri Ybarra throughout her eight years in workplace — will likely be seeing loads of Critchfield within the committee rooms.

“In the course of the legislative session, the superintendent must be the advocate for Ok-12, and that will likely be my main focus,” she stated. “I’m not outsourcing that to somebody who works on the division, or hiring a particular legislative liaison. That’s the job I used to be employed for.”

And it is a job that she has been getting ready to land for greater than 20 years, along with her involvement in schooling. Residing in Oakley, she additionally understands that some sharp educators will be discovered within the rural faculties.

Ah, however give her at the least a bit time to replicate on these spectacular election outcomes. Getting nearly 70 % of the vote in a spirited marketing campaign race is sort of an accomplishment, even for a Republican in Idaho. Ybarra, by comparability, gained her two races by skinny margins.

“I feel the work I put into it was mirrored within the outcomes,” Critchfield says.

There are private changes that lie forward – together with right here and her husband, Dave, getting a second dwelling in Boise. “We’re excited concerning the enterprise,” she says.

As for the job itself, it seems she will likely be able to go on Day One.