Idaho Voices for Children

Idaho Voices for Children is the only statewide, multi-issue advocate for children at the Statehouse. We believe every child has the right to a good education and to grow up safe and healthy. Voices transforms children’s lives by advancing child-focused public policy, and educating the public on childrens’ issues.

For more than ten years, Voices' nonpartisan advocacy has resulted in big wins for kids in Idaho. Your support on Idaho Gives Day will enhance  kids’ voice at the Statehouse. Here’s how our work paid off in 2015.

This past session Idaho dedicated $9.1 million to help struggling readers become strong readers!

Voices supported two bills that give 16,000 more children access to time-intensive reading interventions, and requires schools to fully engage parents in literacy development.

Voices was at the Statehouse daily to help guide these proposals to the finish line. We testified at hearings, met with key lawmakers, produced a compelling report for lawmakers on reading programs around the state and worked with bill sponsors to execute a successful campaign.

The “Close the Gap Idaho” coalition, made the coverage gap first on the policy agenda by the time lawmakers adjourned. 

At the beginning of the session, many in the Statehouse were reluctant to acknowledge that there is a large group of Idahoans shut out of health insurance simply because of their income. 

By bringing together a wide range of advocates, service providers, and health care experts during the legislative session, we demonstrated that Idahoans care about providing affordable health insurance for78,000 of our uninsured friends, neighbors, and family members.

Early Learning Advocacy Makes a Mark!

Voices was able to show the value of quality early learning to lawmakers by producing a report on the benefits that Idaho could reap from making sure that kids are able to identify letters and interact with others when they enter kindergarten.

The Early Learning Advocacy Day that Voices helped organize was a huge success and helped to show our lawmakers how much the public truly cares through 24 hours of early learning events at the Statehouse.

Looking Ahead

Policy wins aren’t easy. They rarely come quickly. When they do come, though, the impact is immense and the effort is so rewarding. We are hopeful that you share our passion and perseverance and that together, we can work to make Idaho a place where all kids can thrive.