HB 504, the legislation that would provide for leadership premium awards to be issued to public school teachers who serve in one or more identified leadership roles, cleared one more hurdle on Thursday, passing the House by a vote of 62-6.
The public will have one more opportunity to weigh in on the measure when the Senate Education Committee holds a public hearing on Monday afternoon.
The concept outlined in the bill is part of the Career Ladders recommendation from the Governor’s Task Force. Under the proposal sponsored by Reps. Lance Clow (R-Twin Falls) and Julie VanOrden (R-Pingree), the state would send $16 million to school districts to be used to pay teachers for leadership activities, as determined by the local school board.
The IEA has long been a strong supporter of career ladders. It is our hope that if crafted right, a career ladder will provide a way to help teachers stay in the classroom by giving them opportunities to earn compensation commensurate with their professional growth. Leadership bonuses are one way educators can be acknowledged and compensated for the work they are already doing. The IEA’s position, even before the beginning of the legislative session, has been to support the concept of leadership awards, if combined with at least a minimal increase of 1% to the base salary for teachers.
