Tom Luna

In 2006, Republican Tom Luna won his first term as Superintendent of Public Instruction in Idaho.

Personal life

Luna become the first in his family to graduate high school and later become a successful businessman. Today he is president of Scales Unlimited, Inc., a company he has owned for more than 20 years and now does business all over the world.

Tom and his wife Cindy moved to Idaho 26 years ago to attend college at BYU-Idaho (formerly Ricks College). After a short time in the state, they decided Idaho would be the perfect place to raise a family, and they decided to remain in the state. He put his college education on hold, in order to focus his attention on his young children and his new business. Tom completed his college degree in 2002, obtaining a degree in Measurement Science from Thomas Edison State College.

The Lunas have six children and four grandchildren. Five of their children have graduated from public schools, and the youngest is in high school.

Luna has extensive and diverse experience in education. He served on the Nampa School Board for seven years, three years as chairman. Luna worked under Governor Phil Batt as commissioner and spokesman for the Idaho Achievement Standards Commission. Later, under Governor Dirk Kempthorne, Luna was appointed chairman of the Idaho Assessment and Accountability Commission. The success of these two commissions resulted in the popular Achievement Standards and the ISAT, both useful tools for Idaho’s teachers and parents.

Through his work in improving Idaho education, Luna became familiar to many national education leaders, and he even got to meet President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.

In 2003, the White House contacted Luna, asking if he would like to work for the president. Luna agreed. He served as a senior advisor to Secretary of Education Rod Paige and traveled the country on behalf of President Bush and Secretary Paige focusing on rural education and school choice, two issues that greatly affect Idaho. Luna worked for the U.S. Department of Education for two years before returning home to his family and business.