As you know, Superintendent Tom Luna has posted his education legislation online. IEA staff members have been delving into the 140+ pages of legislation all day today, and we’ll continue studying and analyzing it over the weekend. Suffice it to say: The legislation contains many unwelcome surprises, but you can expect more information early next week on how the bills will impact educators across Idaho.
Also watch your email tonight for an important all-member message from IEA President Sherri Wood about our plans for the next two weeks. For now, here are a few reminders about key dates ahead:
Monday, January 31, is the deadline to complete the IEA survey on the Luna plan. It takes just a few minutes to complete, so please do it this weekend if you haven’t yet had a chance.
Wednesday, February 2, will be the print hearing for the Luna bills in the Senate Education Committee. This is a formality that simply means the committee will vote whether to print and take testimony on the bills. (The print hearing was originally scheduled for Monday.)
On Monday, February 7, the Senate Education Committee will open four days of testimony on the bills. Mr. Luna will present the bills that day and take questions, and the major stakeholders will present their testimony.
Public testimony will start Tuesday, February 8, and run through Thursday, February 10. The committee starts at 3 p.m. each day. As of now, the committee is expected to debate and vote on the bills on February 10.
Stay tuned to the Hotline for more details.