Posted by Betsy Feb 22, 2022
Public education is still extremely important but a surge of economic worries caused in part by the COVID-19 pandemic has led more Idahoans to cite the economy as the most important issue facing the state for the first time in five years.
Given a choice, most Idahoans have said education is the most important issue facing the state — until this year.
And Idahoans are quite worried about the harm that the Covid-19 pandemic has done to the state’s children on many levels: academically, socially, and emotionally. More than eight in ten (83 percent) are concerned about the pandemic’s toll on children’s mental health. 80 percent are concerned it has dealt a serious set-back to children’s social skills and development, and another 83 percent believe that too many students have lost ground academically and will struggle to catch up.