Severe behavioral and emotional issues in the classroom have become a pressing problem, state superintendent Debbie Critchfield said at a State Board of Education meeting on Wednesday.

“That is the pandemic of our time now,” she said. “As I traveled the state over the last year and a half … this was an issue that I heard repeatedly.”

To support teachers, Critchfield would like to develop a working group to further look into behavioral health issues and how to solve them. The group would eventually provide recommendations to policymakers.

The State Department of Education may also be looking to provide leadership and guidance to school boards in terms of school curriculum, and will also work to support the needs of parents, Critchfield told the State Board. The meeting was held at Boise State University and will continue Thursday.

This evening, Critchfield plans to attend a dinner meeting with Chris Cargill of the Mountain States Policy Center.