Director of Elementary Programs | Twin Falls School District
Nancy Murphy brings more than three decades of experience in education to her role as Director of Elementary Programs for the Twin Falls School District. She has spent 32 years in education, including 20 years as a classroom teacher in Idaho, Utah, and South Carolina, primarily teaching first grade. She has also served as an instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal before stepping into her current district leadership role this past July.
From a district-level perspective, Nancy sees IDLA as an important support for schools and students across grade levels. At the elementary level, IDLA has supported intervention efforts through both remediation and extension in grades one through five, which has been especially helpful for schools that do not receive Title funding. At the secondary level, she noted that IDLA offers even broader benefits by expanding course options and providing flexible scheduling opportunities for students.
Nancy pointed to the instructional support IDLA provides as a key factor in its value to schools. “IDLA Launchpad gives our students access to certified teachers and additional support that we could not have provided on our own,” she shared. She also emphasized how IDLA supports effective instruction at the classroom level. “The IDLA sections help us keep our small group numbers low, so we can better address the specific needs of our students. The collaboration with the IDLA teachers also helps us focus on specific learning targets to increase student achievement.”
Flexibility is another area where Nancy has seen IDLA make a difference. “Without Launchpad, our intervention groups would be bigger, and we would not be able to have a narrow focus on individual learning needs. Students would be working independently while teachers worked with small groups,” she explained.
In her current role, Nancy values partnerships that provide meaningful instructional support without placing additional strain on school staff. “IDLA gives us access to certified, experienced teachers who know the grade level standards and best teaching practices,” she said. She also noted that IDLA offers schools a practical way to meet student needs. “IDLA is an easy, affordable way to address the varying needs of students.”
When asked what advice she would share with other school and district leaders, Nancy encouraged openness to new approaches. “I would encourage school leaders to be creative as they work to address students’ learning needs,” she said. Reflecting on her district’s experience, she added, “We were pleased to see the growth our Launchpad students made, in both the remediation and extension groups.”
