Idaho lawmakers still have ed bills on plate

BOISE, Idaho — After 108 days of meetings, Idaho lawmakers are considering a variety of education bills. It's sometimes easy to lose track of just what's still in play during the waning days of the 2009 Legislature.

Here's a primer on some of the latest action on public schools, a topic some say has been relegated to a political sidelight as leaders in the House and Senate and Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter fight over their gas-tax impasse.

"Education has become a pawn on the chess board," Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello, lamented. "It's just appalling."

Bills that had cleared both houses by Wednesday include:

- HB 256, which, when originally passed the House last month aimed to cut $4.2 million from public school transportation costs by eliminating money for academic field trip bus rides and by changing the formula urban school districts, such as Boise, use to be reimbursed by the state.

The bill was amended in the Senate to restore the field trip money, and budget writers this week approved shifting $4.2 million from textbooks to cover those costs.

Instead of the Boise district giving up money, auditors from public schools chief Tom Luna's office will ride school buses in the city this spring, to recommend ways the district can save money.

Otter hasn't signed the measure.

- HB 262 first sought to phase out over two years an incentive for teachers to retire early and free up jobs for younger, less-expensive teachers. It costs about $4 million a year to pay some 200 teachers who take early retirement with an average lump sum bonus of $18,000.

The bill also froze raises for teachers based on experience for a year, saving the state about $6 million in fiscal year 2010, which starts July 1. The experience pay freeze was preserved when the bill reached the Senate, but the plan to dump the early retirement incentive was cut.

Otter has not signed that measure, either. On Wednesday afternoon, the House Ways and Means Committee — a powerful committee that includes three House GOP leaders and meets at the House speaker's discretion — introduced a new bill to restore the phase-out. Tuesday, the House Education Committee had introduced a bill that would have retroactively eliminated the program.

Several education bills await action in the House or the Senate:

- HB 303 aimed to promote Internet education by dumping some "use it or lose it" rules governing state funding of teacher positions. When it passed the House on April 14, the measure would let districts shift 5 percent of their instructional funding to defray costs of virtual education, without threat of losing the money.

The Senate amended the bill to end such shifts after two years, after complaints that it made radical changes in schools without evidence that increased Internet courses benefit kids.

The bill remains on the Senate's amending calendar. Some senators want to allow some school districts to shift a total of $9.9 million from their maintenance funds to other programs, including buying supplies, as state funding shrinks during the recession.

The delay of the bill in the Senate prompted the emergence of HB 339, approved by the House Education Committee earlier this week. It also allows some school districts to shift a portion of their maintenance funds, but conflicts with changes the Senate made in the other education bills. For instance, it includes Luna's plan to do away with the early retirement program the Senate had restored in HB 262.

"Show me where else in state government where we offer employees an early retirement bonus," Luna said.

It also would allow districts to shift 5 percent of teacher funding to Internet courses, without the two-year sunset period the Senate added to HB 303.

Lobbyists for school districts, administrators and teachers - and some lawmakers - are scratching their heads about how the measures fit in when the Legislature is dominated by debate over Otter's transportation plan. Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow and a Senate education panel member, thinks the bills will be resolved quickly, once a roads deal is reached.

"It's just a distraction," Schroeder said Wednesday. "All these are interesting, but transportation is the big issue."

From the Statesman

JFAC budget figures

The Joint Finance - Appropriations Committee (JFAC) set the public education budget today.  If you want to look at a list of the final figures the pdf is attached.  The budgets still have to be voted on in the Senate and House.  Here is an excerpt from Betsy's Blog on the topic.

 

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/

Eye On Boise

All about it…

at 1:53 p.m. on March 27 Comments (0)

• Tags
• idaho legislature

Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today’s historic public school budget-setting, in which public schools were given their first ever cut in funding from the amount they received the previous year, and here’s a link to the final figures on the school budget that JFAC set today.

Tonight on Idaho Public TV’s Idaho Reports, I’ll join Boise State University political scientist emeritus Jim Weatherby, House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, and host Thanh Tan to discuss the legislative developments of the week, including today’s budget-setting. Tune in and check it out; it airs at 8 p.m. today, replays on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Mountain time, 10:30 Pacific time, and can also be viewed online here after it airs, along with the additional “After the Show” discussion.

 

Sharon Fisher
http://www.newwest.net/stateoftechnology
Principal Consultant
Gem State Community Development
Kuna, Idaho

"NO" on S1148

I got this information from the Idaho PTA.  If you feel strongly about this, and want to have your voice heard, the information is below.  Idaho PTA's stance is "no" on S1148.  

Now is the time to contact your Legislators -

S1148

To All Idaho PTA Members:

Please Contact Your Legislators and 

Urge Them to Vote "NO" on S1148

- ALCOHOL - RETAIL SALE OF LIQUOR BY THE DRINK

Background: S1148 is the product of the Governor's Task Force on Alcohol Beverage Laws. The bill contains decreases in the penalties for individuals or establishments convicted of furnishings alcoholic beverages to minors. Idaho PTA has resolved to support legislation that increases penalties for furnishing alcohol to minors.

Talking points: One of the purposes of Idaho PTA is to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth including laws pertaining to furnishing alcohol to minors. Alcohol use by persons under age 21 has been identified as a major public health problem. License holders as well as clerks/servers must be responsible and accountable for any sales of alcoholic beverages.
Idaho PTA does not support Senate bill 1148 as it reduces the penalties
for license holders.

How to contact your legislature: Go to the following link to contact your legislators
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/howtocontactlegislators.htm

The complete bill can be found here: http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2009/S1148.htm

Busing Reimbursment Defined

Busing & Reimbursment (House Bill 256)

Idaho legislative panel proposes cuts in payroll spending on teachers, school administrators

Brian Murphy - bmurphy@idahostatesman.com

Published: 03/27/09

Idaho’s legislative budget-writing committee approved payroll cuts for public school administrators and teachers Friday over Democratic opposition.

The budgets approved by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee include a 5 percent cut in money from the state to school districts for public school administrators and a 2.63 percent cut for public school teachers and classified staff.

That doesn't necessarily mean employee pay will be cut by those percentages. The cuts are in payroll budgets, not individuals' pay. School districts, not the Legislature, set individual salaries.

Tom Luna, the state schools superintendent, worked closely with JFAC leaders in coming up with the payroll plan. He said the cuts should not cause any teacher to lose a job.

But the reductions could force some districts to turn to their reserve funds to make up for the shortfalls, school officials say.

Additionally, the measures approved by the committee include freezing the salary grid for teachers for one year and phasing out an early retirement program.

“Nobody in this room put us in this situation,” said co-chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert. “This situation was brought to us by the economy.”

The cuts passed the committee on a 16-4 party-line vote. Boise Democratic Sen. Nicole LeFavour said previous school funding decisions have put the state in a perilous situation.

“We’ve made our schools live so close to the bone that when we got here today, we are, in essence, breaking our public school system,” she said.

The committee also recommended an operations budget that includes disallowing high-density districts access to the cost-per-mile transportation program. This change will cost the Boise School District $1.4 million. The budget also eliminates the state reimbursement for busing on field trips.

The state would shift $20 million in general funds out of schools and replace the money with federal cash under the new economic-stimulus law. This decision led to a sharp exchange between Cameron and LeFavour. LeFavour called the move "irresponsible." Cameron compared the move to spending money out of a checking account or savings account. "It makes very little difference," Cameron said.

The state would use $60 million in stimulus money in the fiscal year 2010 budget. The state would not use any of the $114 million in its Public Education Stabilization Fund for the fiscal year 2010 budget, instead saving it to backfill the budget later if the economy continues to deteriorate.

From The Statesman

Lawmakers slash 5.8 percent for higher education

Legislative budget writers are slashing 5.8 percent in state funding for Idaho's four-year public universities during the next fiscal year and using federal stimulus money to help temper student fee increases.

Lawmakers on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday rolled out a higher education budget that spends a total of $398.2 million for the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State College.

Last year, the Legislature allocated $447.7 million to the schools for the current fiscal year.

The proposal for the next fiscal year, which begins in July, knocks funding for Idaho public universities below levels established two years ago, when lawmakers set aside about $399.1 million.

"This is basically a bare-bones budget," said Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls.

The committee approved the budget, but reserved the right to come back after lawmakers sort out a plan to save money by reducing paychecks for most state employees during fiscal year 2010.

Earlier this month, the committee decided to cut worker pay by 3 percent, while giving agency managers discretion to cut 2 percent more, including through layoffs and furloughs.

The proposal, however, hit a snag after lawmakers realized it may be illegal to reduce salaries for tenured university professors. The budget panel is seeking advice from Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's office.

Under the proposed budget, the state would split $35.5 million in federal stimulus money for Idaho public universities and colleges over the next two fiscal years.

The bulk of the money - $30.6 million - would go to the four-year public universities, with the rest spent on community and technical colleges.

The federal payout for Idaho higher education will help fill in past budget shortfalls and alleviate some of the financial pressure on these schools to transfer the burden to students.

"It will be used to prevent higher student fees," Matt Freeman, a higher education budget analyst for the legislative services office, told the Associated Press.

The University of Idaho has drafted a proposal to increase student fees by more than 8 percent for the next school year. Boise State officials have said they are scaling back on a proposal to increase student fees by nearly 8 percent next year because construction costs have gone down. The school now plans to seek a 5 percent increase.

The state Board of Education will consider student fee proposals at an April 6 meeting in Boise. It is expected to review budgets for universities on April 16, when trustees are scheduled to meet in Moscow.

Freeze teacher pay, cut retirement perk

From The Statesman

ID House: Freeze teacher pay, cut retirement perk

For the second day, Democrats and Republicans in the Idaho House clashed over a plan to cut Idaho's public education budget.

And for the second time the outcome was assured: Republicans who control nearly three-quarters of the chamber led a 49-20 vote, this time to cut $8.1 million from public education funding by freezing automatic experience-based salary increases and phasing out an early retirement incentive for teachers.

The vote was virtually identical to Wednesday's 50-20 decision to cut $4.2 million from state bus reimbursements to local school districts, including more than $1.4 million to the school district in Boise.

Democrats argued that Thursday's bill, which now heads to the Senate, will expose Idaho to lawsuits from the teachers union because freezing the pay for even one year could lower teachers' retirement pay.

Republicans said it's needed to balance the state budget.

"These are not fun times. We're not here with big smiles on our faces," said Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene and chairman of the House Education Committee. "We all have a common enemy here, and it's a bad economy."

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna, who supports the bill, wants to cut Idaho's public education budget in fiscal year 2010 by $62 million, though Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has favored a more drastic, $109 million austerity plan.

The measures voted on Wednesday and Thursday account for roughly $12.3 million.

Minority Democrats, outnumbered 52-18 in the House, again attempted to derail the vote. On Wednesday, they had forced the bus-reimbursement reduction bill to be read in its entirety; Thursday, they called for the bill to be sent back to Nonini's committee, arguing it is unconstitutional.

When that effort failed, Democrats said that suspending an automatic 3.75 percent pay increase, based on teachers gaining another year of experience, would likely provoke a lawsuit from the Idaho Education Association teachers union since it could reduce some educators' pension payments.

"The consequences of losing a year on the ladder will follow a teacher year after year," said Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise and a lawyer. "That, in my opinion, denies a teacher certain vested rights."

Teachers would still be able to qualify for a step up in pay based on their educational levels.

Democrats also said they wanted to use nearly $200 million in state education reserves and money from Idaho's share of the federal economic stimulus package, rather than making the cuts.

"I understand we have a hard economy," said Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise. "I also understand we have hundreds of millions of dollars in stabilization funds we could use."

House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, countered Idaho should protect its educational reserves in case the economy sours further in coming months. The deepening slump has already driven unemployment in the state to a 21-year high of 6.8 percent while reducing state tax revenue by a projected $400 million for the fiscal year through June 30, compared to fiscal year 2008.

Tapping those reserves now would be "setting ourselves up for a potential tax increase," Roberts argued. "That's one of the two scenarios we're going to be setting up: Either further cuts, or increased taxes. This legislation is a step in the direction of being able to manage our budget."

Busing, Budget Cuts

Here is more information on busing, and budget cuts.
Thanks Erin!

Here is an update on the school transportation bill that is moving through the legislature. 

The complete bill can be found here: http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2009/minidata.

H0256    

Pub schools/transport support prog

H 2nd Rdg

*

Note: Virtual charter schools do not have to make any changes - they still will receive the 85% reimbursement for transportation costs that are incurred from internet connections, computers, toll free phone lines, etc..

 

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2009/mar/23/field-trip-change-permanent/#c24590

Eye On Boise

Field trip change is permanent

at 5:42 p.m. on March 23 Comments (2)

• Tags
• idaho legislature

Legislation that cleared the House Education Committee today would permanently end state funding for field trips and change how school districts are reimbursed for student transportation. The move is designed to save $4.2 million next year; click below to read the full story from AP reporter Sarah Wire. 

Sorry ID kids, field trip may be canceled
By SARAH D. WIRE
Associated Press Writer

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The House Education Committee approved a bill Monday to stop reimbursing school districts for field trip costs and to change how school districts are reimbursed for transportation.

Lawmakers said the moves are designed to save the state an estimated $4.2 million in 2010. Unlike other cuts that are tied to the state’s current economic situation, the changes made by the bill do not have a designated end date. Proponents of the bill have said they will work to reinstate funding for field trips once Idaho’s economic outlook improves.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has recommended cutting $62 million from the public schools budget for the fiscal year that starts in July. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter has proposed $109 million in cuts.

The bulk of that money is expected to come from cuts to teacher pay and a one-year freeze on raises.

The transportation bill now goes before the full House. It is expected to move through the Legislature quickly because the state’s budget-writing committee plans to begin writing the public education budget March 30.

Jason Hancock, Education Department deputy chief of staff, told the committee that school districts can still schedule field trips, but the state will not reimburse the cost. Not paying for field trips could save the state $2.5 million in 2010.

“Any dollar spent on student transportation is a dollar not going to student education,” Hancock said.

He said the measure won’t hurt districts financially as long as they don’t schedule field trips.

The bill also requires 17 large school districts and 12 charter schools to get state reimbursement based on the number of students bused instead of the distance traveled. Changing the busing reimbursement is expected to save $1.7 million in 2010.

Currently Idaho school districts can choose which reimbursement method they use.

The change would cost the Boise Independent School District $1.4 million next year. The Lewiston Independent District would lose $30,000 up front.

The remaining 15 large districts would have to change their funding model but would not lose money up front.

Janet Orndorff, a Boise Schools trustee, said changing the reimbursement method will force the district to put more children on each bus, which is not safe.

“We understand the difficult times, we understand we need to make cuts, but we need to make sure we make those cuts in the right places,” Orndorff said.

Orndorff said the district would prefer to make cuts regarding new classroom supplies and new textbooks.

The bill also reduces how much the state reimburses districts, from 85 percent of transportation costs to 50 percent for all such costs except bus purchases and maintenance.

As an incentive to keep transportation costs down, the difference between 50 percent and 85 percent would be given back to the district through an annual grant. The grant would increase each year based on district growth and whether the district’s transportation costs remained below the state average. The excess money could be used however the district wished.

Opponents of the bill, including several education groups, argue that the state should use its rainy day funds to keep from cutting the 2010 budget for public education.

“When is it going to be raining hard enough to use those funds?” asked Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise. “Seems to me we’re going to be waiting for Noah before we tap it. We need it now.”

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

 

Idaho House Committee passes plan to change teacher pay

From the Idaho Statesman

BOISE, Idaho — A House Committee has approved a plan to modify teacher contracts as a way for school districts to save money during financial emergencies.

It allows school boards to declare a fiscal emergency and modify teacher contracts through an extensive process that includes a public hearing on the changes and comment from the local teachers union. The bill has the support of many state education groups including teachers associations and school boards.

House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Nonini told the committee Friday that the bill would give individual districts flexibility to make budget decisions that are best for both students and teachers.

The Coeur d'Alene Republican said several state districts may already qualify to declare a state of emergency.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS - FINANCIAL EMERGENCIES

Please contact Erin Taylor for more information and how to take action, or share an opinion.  erin.taylor56@yahoo.com

This is the compromise legislation that addresses what options a school district has in the event of a financial emergency.   

 

HOUSE BILL 252

Full Bill Information

Individual Links: 
      Bill Text 
      Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Note
      Legislative Co-sponsors

H0252

by EDUCATION COMMITTEE

SCHOOL DISTRICTS - FINANCIAL EMERGENCIES - Amends and adds to existing law relating to school district financial emergencies to provide for notice requirements in the event a financial emergency has been declared; to provide an exception to the issuance of certain contracts; to clarify language; to provide for an informal review under certain circumstances; to provide for a due process hearing and procedure under certain circumstances; to provide that a due process hearing is not required under certain circumstances; to provide for financial emergencies; and to provide a time requirement for preparation of a budget if a financial emergency has been declared.

03/18

House intro - 1st rdg - to printing

PARENTS AS TEACHERS FAMILY SUPPORT ACT

Amber, this is from the PTA leg committee, if anyone has any comments about this bill, please have them forward it to me so I can forward them to a parent rep. for action. They want parents opinion. Thanks! Erin Taylor  erin.taylor56@yahoo.com ---     HOUSE BILL 245 Full Bill Information Individual Links:        Bill Text        Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Note       Legislative Co-sponsors H0245   by EDUCATION COMMITTEE PARENTS AS TEACHERS FAMILY SUPPORT ACT - Adds to existing law relating to the Parents as Teachers Family Support Act to provide a short title, to state legislative findings and intent, to define terms, to provide for the Parents as Teachers Family Support Program, to provide for rulemaking authority and to provide for the Parents as Teachers Family Support Fund.   03/17 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing     03/18 Rpt prt - to Educ

ID lawmaker offers compromise on teacher contracts

From the Idaho Statesman - Mar 18, 2009

House Education Committee Chairman Bob Nonini has pulled back a contentious plan to save money by limiting teacher contracts and on Wednesday offered a compromise bill. Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, proposed legislation last month to allow teacher contracts to expire at the end of each fiscal year and give school districts authority to modify contracts any time the state declares a fiscal emergency. Democratic lawmakers and the Idaho Education Association balked at the legislation, saying it appeared Nonini wanted the roughly 14,000 public school teachers in Idaho to make all the sacrifices in the tough economic climate.The proposal was put on hold as lawmakers sifted through the federal stimulus package and consulted groups such as the teachers union.Nonini introduced his new bill on teacher contracts to the House Education Committee."This is a compromise piece of legislation," Nonini said.It allows school boards to declare a fiscal emergency and modify teacher contracts through an extensive process that includes a public hearing on the changes and comment from the local teachers union.Union President Sherri Wood said she supports the plan because it moves decisions to the local level and outlines several steps school districts must follow when declaring a fiscal emergency and changing contracts."We were very appreciative that they were willing to pull back the original bill and actually negotiate another process," Wood told The Associated Press.Contracts could still be altered and teachers may take pay cuts under the proposal, Wood said, but the process is more inclusive and allows educators to file written arguments with school boards."Educators will receive it in a much more positive light if they know they have representation," she said.Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has recommended cutting $62 million from the public schools budget for the fiscal year that starts in July, while Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has proposed $109 million in cuts.Nonini told the AP that he plans to propose at least two more bills to help achieve the reductions lawmakers will have to make in public education spending."In light of this economic crisis, we've got to find out how to get through the next two years," he said.

March 13, 2009 (from the Idaho Statesman)

Otter's plan threatens kids' time with teachers

Sitting on stimulus money for schools draws fire from educators, Luna

Gov. Butch Otter proposes holding $78 million in reserve for 2010 and 2011 to protect against a slumping economy and insists teachers share in a 5 percent cut in payroll costs aimed at all state employees.

One possible result could be a school year shortened by the equivalent of up to 13 days, state school officials say.

Otter's plan, born of his belief that the economic slump hasn't bottomed out, is drawing opposition from teachers, some lawmakers and Republican state schools Superintendent Tom Luna, a political ally.

The governor's proposal came a day after President Obama said American children should go to school longer so they can compete more effectively against foreign students for jobs.

If schools lose teaching days, Cindy Hall, a teacher in the Meridian School District, will feel the pinch.

"I just look at the content I'm required to cover for fifth grade, and I already feel I don't have enough days," said Hall, who teaches at Eliza Hart Spalding Elementary. "I feel like it is becoming more of a surface curriculum."

Otter's plan would leave the state with $192 million in education rainy-day funds and a stimulus reserve account to weather an economic storm.

That's too much, and the effect would hurt student achievement, said Luna and some educators.

"You can't build a savings account at the expense of our system," said Linda Clark, Meridian district superintendent.

Luna has proposed cutting his budget by $62 million, includingthe equivalent of a three-day furlough for teachers. Otter's plan could require up to 13 days of furlough unless teachers agree to a pay cut while working for the same number of days.

Another option schools have is to reduce what they spend on salaries by not replacing teachers who retire or leave the district. But that could increase class sizes and reduce kids' interaction with teachers. Cutting pay or the number of working days for a teacher will require the state to change a law that forbids instructors working fewer days or receiving less pay from one year to the next.

A bill to change those restrictions is under consideration in the Legislature.

While educators complain about the governor's cut, Otter said he wants a big cushion.

As the economy faltered in September, Otter thought all he would need to get through the slump was to pull $14 million out of the $114 million education rainy- day fund. But as the economy worsened, the state has pulled out $84 million, he said.

Most of that will be replaced this year with stimulus money.

Bill Roberts: 377-6408

Upcoming PFA Meeting Topics

Along with PFA business, and committee updates, we'll be having mini workshops on topics parents want to learn more about at our monthly PFA meetings.  We meet on the first Thursday of every month at Pioneer Title in Nampa on 11th Ave.  7pm for general membership, and 6pm for board members.

Here are the three upcoming month's "hot topics."

April
Grant Writing Part 1
Uniforms  

May
Grant Writing Part 2  

Funding for Public Education

How Charter Schools are Funded

June

Grant Writing Part 3
Direct Instruction (our Reading Program)

Please let us know what you would like to learn more about, or have us address.  Email us at ncapfa@gmail.com

Stimulus Funds & Education

The Governor has released his recommendation of how the stimulus package money should be spent in Idaho. He recommends making cuts to public education.  The complete recommendation, along with the appendix containing actual numbers per program, can be found on the website for the Department of Financial Management.  

 

 http://dfm.idaho.gov/fed_stimulus.html

2009 State of Idaho Federal Stimulus

Governor's Federal Stimulus Recommendation

Governor's Recommendation
    Appendix A