Former Idaho Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Howard dies at 81
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The former Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction died Monday at her Eagle home.
Dr. Marilyn Howard, Idaho's 23rd chief state school officer, died from an extended illness, according to a past spokesperson. She was 81.
Dr. Howard was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002 as the last Democrat elected to one of the state's constitutional offices.
Read more about Dr. Howard's legacy:
"Howard’s first term coincided with the Idaho Legislature’s focus on elementary-level reading skills and under her leadership, the State Department of Education developed the state’s first Idaho Reading Indicator, a way to identify struggling readers and provide extra help to them. She also led Idaho’s implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Howard was a recognized literacy expert and among other professional activities served as state coordinator and president of the International Reading Association. Her signature program during her superintendency was “Dinner and a Book,” a campaign to encourage parents to read with their children for 20 minutes every day and to make meals a time for family conversation."
Information about services will be available at a later date.
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