Former president of Idaho education board says she will run for superintendent

Debbie Critchfield, a former president of the Idaho State Board of Education, announced Tuesday that she will be a candidate for the state’s superintendent of public instruction position.

Critchfield’s announcement was reported on Idaho Education News’ website. The outlet said Critchfield works as the communications officer for the Cassia County School District in Burley, and she will run as a Republican.

“This last year, the lessons that I’ve learned and we’ve all collectively learned during the pandemic just really highlighted my desire to be involved in a different capacity,” Critchfield said, according to Idaho Education News. “We can’t wait for some far off time to get the education system we all want, need and deserve.”

Critchfield will challenge former state legislator Branden Durst in the Republican primary in May 2022. The general election will be in November 2022.

Current State Superintendent Sherri Ybarra, also a Republican, hasn’t announced if she will run for reelection, Idaho Education News reported.

No Democrats have announced their intentions to run yet.

Critchfield was appointed to the education board in 2014 and served as president from April 2019 until last month. She is still a board member, but told Idaho Education News that she will step down in the coming months to pursue her superintendent candidacy.