The first question for the two candidates, from moderator Thanh Tan of Idaho Public Television, was why each candidate is running for the position of state superintendent of schools. Incumbent Republican Tom Luna, who was first to answer, said, in part, "When I ran for this office I said that I wanted to be judged based on results, meaning higher student achievement. ... Throughout this debate we're going to have an opportunity to talk about the results we've seen the last four years."

Olson said, "I"m a practitioner, I've been in the field 40 years. ... We need to do much better, we are not doing well by our children, we are not doing well by our state."

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