About the IBCEE

The Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence (IBCEE) is a not-for-profit organization, comprising of Idaho's top CEOs and company Presidents, who share a common goal -- Better Education in Idaho. The members of the IBCEE are passionate about improving Idaho's educational system in all aspects. Currently, there are over 75 members in the IBCEE.

In order to achieve its various goals more effectively, the IBCEE is divided into action committees, each focused on particular issues. Click Here to learn more about the specific committees. Members choose which committee they are on; they are passionate about the topics they discuss and the actions the committees take to support education.

IBCEE's History

The concept for the IBCEE came from several corporate executives, including: Skip Oppenheimer (Oppenheimer Companies, Inc), Craig Olson (then Executive Director of the Albertson's Foundation), and many others. The goals and purpose of the IBCEE were encouraged by the Governor's office and other officials as well.

The effort commenced with meetings to assess interest and form priorities in 2002. The group recognized that Idaho was one of the few states that did not have a CEO/President group advocating for key education initiatives. As in numerous other states, the original members recognized a disparity between workforce and societal needs and the supply of qualified people graduating from public education in Idaho.

The membership embraced a philosophy of working closely with education professionals to support, in a constructive manner, selected education initiatives. The IBCEE developed resource partners who it called on to help frame direction and to get continuing, ongoing key input and advice.

In 2003, a planning committee was organized to test the viability and further develop the idea. Key issues were identified and developed by the membership during the initial meetings. Subcommittees of the IBCEE were developed around these key issue areas, focusing specifically on:

Early Childhood Education,
Student Achievement,
Education Leadership,
Teacher Quality, Retention, & Professional Development , and
Higher Education.

IBCEE officially organized in 2003 and incorporated as a 501 (c) 3 in 2005.

Since the IBCEE's initial concept in 2002, the enthusiasm and the dedication of its founders and members have provided a consistent, powerful voice to improve education in Idaho. IBCEE puts business leaders in an instrumental long-term position to influence education policy and encourage reforms that will support Idaho's next generation of leaders.

P.O. Box 190163 Boise ID 83719 — 208.489.3533