This weekend, organizers and volunteers with the non-partisan grassroots organization Reclaim Idaho will kick off their “Yes On 1” campaign in Eastern Idaho with an information session for local residents about the Quality Education Act, which will appear on the November ballot as Proposition 1.

Meetings will be held at the following locations and times:

Saturday at Russ Freeman Park in Idaho Falls from 10 a.m. to noon.

Sunday at The College Market in Pocatello from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Reclaim Idaho organizers and volunteers will discuss plans for the upcoming campaign, including future local canvassing events as part of the organization's statewide door-knocking campaign.

Proposition 1 was certified for the ballot last month after Reclaim Idaho turned in over 100,000 signatures. The initiative would raise $323 million a year in support of strong K-12 programs and better pay for teachers and support staff. The measure would be paid for by restoring Idaho’s corporate tax rate to 8% — the rate that existed from 1987 until 2000 — and by adding a new income tax on earnings above $250,000 a year for an individual or $500,000 a year for a married couple.

Idaho ranks last among 50 states in education funding per student. School districts across the state, especially in rural areas, lack stable funding for a wide range of programs — including programs like welding, carpentry, and agricultural science that provide students with job-ready skills.

A recent report found that there are over 700 vacant teaching positions in Idaho, and many school administrators reported that they had received few or no applications for vacant positions.

According to a 2022 report by the National Education Association, Idaho teachers are paid far less than teachers in neighboring states. On average, a teacher in Idaho earns $8,000 less than in Wyoming, $16,000 less than in Oregon, and $27,000 less than in Washington. A 2022 survey by the National Education Association found that 51% of Idaho teachers are considering leaving the profession.

Reclaim Idaho is the nonpartisan, volunteer-driven organization that spearheaded the Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative. The measure passed with 61% of the statewide vote. In addition to providing health care to over 100,000 Idahoans, Medicaid Expansion is bringing back over $400 million annually in federal funds to Idaho, shoring up Idaho’s rural hospitals and creating thousands of jobs around the state.