To learn more about the projects IPI has worked on this month please click through the tabs above.
August 2022 Updates
Project List
Project Spotlight: Ada County Highway District Survey
Vanessa Fry, Cheong Kim, Gabe Osterhout
The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) public opinion survey, developed in partnership with Idaho Policy Institute IPI, was conducted April 28 through May 5, 2022 and surveyed 600 adults who live in Ada County, Idaho. The sample is representative of the county’s population both geographically and demographically. Survey responses were collected by cell phone (50%), landline phone (33%) and online via email (17%). The survey addressed a variety of issues including road safety, road quality, traffic congestion, and spending priorities. Respondents were selected via a simple random sampling method with a margin of error of +/- 4%. The survey was fielded by GS Strategy Group.
KEY FINDINGS
- A majority of respondents (58%) approve of ACHD’s performance in regard to planning, designing, and managing efficient traffic flow and traffic safety throughout Ada County.
- Nearly half of respondents (48%) rate the quality of roads as excellent or good, while only 10% rated it as poor. The safety of roads receive similar marks (50% to 7%).
- Among various priorities, respondents’ most popular choice for increasing safety is roadway expansion (39%), followed by intersection improvements (21%).
- 59% of respondents indicate they trust ACHD to spend taxpayer dollars wisely.
Project Updates
HUD Emergency Rental Assistance Grant Application
Aisha Kayed, Ben Larsen, Cheong Kim, Lantz McGinnis-Brown, McAllister Hall, Vanessa Fry
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, in partnership with the Department of the Treasury released a call for grant applications to evaluate the impact of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic. IPI responded to the call by proposing a mixed methods approach using national and regional participant datasets in either a regression discontinuity or propensity score matching model coupled with surveys and interviews of program administrators and program fund recipients. HUD expects to make approximately four awards from the funds available. If awarded in full, this will be a two year project with a $450,000 budget
Idaho Public Television LearningMedia Assessment
Matthew May, Cheong Kim, Aisha Kayed
Idaho Public Television (IPTV) is partnering with IPI to better understand educator perception and or/usage of its IPTV-produced lesson plans for PBS LearningMedia material. IPI will be fielding an attitudinal survey of educators in Idaho (Grade 4-12) to collect a broad base of lesson plan perceptions. The survey will be used to understand how widespread the use of the lesson plans is, which elements work well for educators, and which elements serve as a barrier. It will be followed by a round of qualitative interviews. The team is currently drafting the survey questionnaire and will soon begin the IRB process
2023 Community Health Needs Assessment
Vanessa Fry, Lantz McGinnis-Brown, McAllister Hall, Aisha Kayed, Taylor Neher, KaraLeigh Troyer
IPI is supporting the St. Luke’s and St. Al’s healthcare systems in conducting regional community health needs assessments across Idaho and Oregon. This summer community partners conducted surveys, focus groups, and interviews with project partners and community members. So far, there are 2,684 survey responses from residents in 15 counties in Idaho and Oregon. Data collection will close at the end of September at which point the IPI team will code data to identify health priorities of the community.
IPI in the News
“How did Boise become a hot housing market?” Idaho Statesman, August 8, 2022
Student Involvement
Grand Challenge Interns Selected!
In August, IPI hired two interns to work on the Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenge. This is a paid internship for the Fall 2022 semester. These students will work to support the Grand Challenge’s goal to create a transdisciplinary ecosystem that examines interactions between the built and natural environment to build more resilient urban and rural systems in Idaho and beyond.Â
- KaraLeigh Troyer is an undergraduate student in the School of Public Service
- Taylor Oxley is a master’s student studying public health
KaraLeigh has been working with IPI since June and will continue to serve as both an IPI intern and a Grand Challenge intern. Taylor will mostly work as a Grand Challenge intern but will have opportunities at IPI to grow her research skills and resume.
Staff Spotlight: Matthew May
IPI Role: Research Scholar, Survey Research Director School of Public Service
Secret Talent: Trivia Partner ExtraordinaireÂ
Description: Matthew May has been a researcher with IPI for almost six years. His research interests include elections, electoral policy, and the legislative process, with particular attention paid to the implications of Idaho’s shift to a closed primary system. He has extensive experience with survey design and quantitative analysis and during his time at IPI has worked on projects dealing with public policy in education, public television, transportation, property taxes, economic impacts, health and welfare, agricultural issues, and public safety, among others. In his spare time, Matthew is an avid reader and enjoys writing, photography, and baseball. (Go Yankees!)
Current Staff List
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Interim Director
Associate Research Faculty
Vanessa Fry, Ph.D.
Vanessa Fry, Ph.D.
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Research Scholars
Cheong Kim, Ph.D.
Matthew May, Ph.D.
Benjamin Larsen, Ph.D.
Cheong Kim, Ph.D.
Matthew May, Ph.D.
Benjamin Larsen, Ph.D.
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Research Associates
McAllister Hall, MA
Lantz McGinnis-Brown, MPA
Gabe Osterhout, MAÂ
Emily Pape, MPP
McAllister Hall, MA
Lantz McGinnis-Brown, MPA
Gabe Osterhout, MAÂ
Emily Pape, MPP
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Research Assistant
Aisha Kayed
Aisha Kayed
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Management Assistant
Valerie Hayes
Valerie Hayes
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Research Administrator
Britney Whiting-Looze
Britney Whiting-Looze
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Graduate Research Assistant
Elijah Kuisachor
Kenneth Huston
Elijah Kuisachor
Kenneth Huston
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Interns
KaraLeigh Troyer
Taylor Oxley
KaraLeigh Troyer
Taylor Oxley