Parents as Teachers National Center mourns the passing of former Idaho Governor, US Senator, US Interior Secretary, and Parents as Teachers Trailblazer Dirk Kempthorne.
“Governor Kempthorne’s commitment to strengthening the well-being of children and families spanned his political career and beyond,” said Parents as Teachers President and CEO Constance Gully. “He understood the importance of foundational support for parents and caregivers, and he uplifted that support at every level.”
Kempthorne ensured that families in his home state of Idaho had comprehensive early childhood services, introducing Parents as Teachers early childhood home visiting into the state when he became governor. The program, which expands parenting capacity and education through personal visits, developmental screenings, group connections, and community resource networking, now serves over 1,200 children throughout the state.
As US Secretary of the Interior, Kempthorne’s valued support underscored the importance of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) FACE Family Enrichment program, through which the Parents as Teachers model is delivered. He continued to lend a voice of impact for Parents as Teachers through his advocacy efforts after his time in office.
In 2019, Parents as Teachers honored Governor Kempthorne with a Trailblazer Award, recognizing his decades of commitment to the organization.
Senator Kempthorne’s wife, Patricia, is a life member of the Parents as Teachers Board of Directors. Her 19 years of service include a four-year term as chair of the board from 2017-2021.
“Both individually and together, Dirk and Patricia Kempthorne have shown up in powerful ways to give every child a strong start,” Gully said. “We mourn with the Kempthorne family as we honor Dirk’s lasting legacy.”
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers creates strong communities, thriving families, and children who are healthy, safe, and learning by matching parents and caregivers with trained professionals for regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years, from pregnancy through kindergarten. With over 188,000 families served in all 50 U.S. states, 138 Tribal organizations, and six other countries, the Parents as Teachers evidence-based home visiting model is backed by over 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Annually, Parents as Teachers National Center supports over 8,600 professionals and partners with 2,200 organizations, including school systems, social service nonprofits, health departments, Tribal organizations, and military installations.