Following brief closing comments by Marilyn Whitney and a handful of questions from committee members at the Wednesday morning meeting, Chairman Reed DeMordaunt (R-Eagle) told his committee that he had learned a great deal as a result of Tuesday’s hearing on HB 222. He asked committee members to take no action on the bill with the understanding that a new proposal that included those minor tweaks would be introduced in the next few days. The Chairman did not elaborate on what those changes might be,
Cyr Outlines IEA Position on HB 222
In her remarks before members of the House Education Committee earlier this week, IEA President Penni Cyr told committee members, “We know that if changing the way teachers are paid is done well, it can drive positive change. But if it’s done poorly, it can create dissention and dysfunction throughout the state.”
Cyr went on to say, “We have always believed the best decisions are made at the local level and created in cooperation with those who will be affected by the changes. IEA and our members remain committed to the collaborative process and the goal of building an education system that benefits students, teachers and communities throughout the great state of Idaho. I ask you to please make a commitment to these teaching professionals that you will ensure they are included in the decision-making processes at both the state and local levels.”
You can read the full text of Penni’s speech on the Career Ladder page of the IEA website.
Once Again Idaho Voters Show Support for Public Schools
Voters headed to the polls on Tuesday and once again signaled the continued support for public schools.
While a number of school districts received approval from voters to levy bonds to construct/refurbish buildings and supplement state funding next year, not all school districts were successful.
You can read a full accounting of the election results on Idaho Education News.
No Education Budget This Week = Longer Session
Idaho Education News is reporting that the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee will not set the FY16 Public Schools budget on Thursday, as originally planned. A delay on the decision regarding a career ladder pay system is necessary before the JFAC chairs will likely begin the budget-setting process.
Though leadership has not confirmed it, pundits are predicting that this may extend the 2015 session by at least a week.
