COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – The Idaho Department of Labor distributed over 3,000 books promoting apprenticeships to elementary school students in September.
According to the Department of Labor, the book “Booper Dreams Big: An Almost True Story of Apprenticeship” was distributed to thousands of students in September.
The book was written by Elaine Zabriskie, the project coordinator for the Idaho Workforce Development Council.
According to a 2023 National Education Association report, Idaho ranks last out of the 50 states in per-student spending.
Education policy discussions in the Gem State have shifted toward limiting the kinds of topics teachers are allowed to teach, including a 2018 policy removing educational standards on teaching about climate change and a objecting to civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ students.
Elementary schools across Idaho can request a free live reading of “Booper Dreams Big” with Booper himself by emailing a request to the Department of Labor.
