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LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER VI—FEBRUARY 20-25/2011
Constituents:
It has been a chaotic week here in Boise especially on the K-12 education front.
To give you an idea of all of the controversy I've included an attachment from a local Treasure Valley citizen, Glenn Dodge, who paid $1,800 for a half page ad in the Statesman. Commercial companies and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry bought full page ads at $3,600 per ad to support SPI Tom Luna's Education Reform Package. IACI also paid out about $25,000 to conduct a phone call campaign throughout the state. For those of you who are interested in following the major news stories that dominated this week's news about Educational Reform, here are some sites:
APNewsBreak: Store heir mixes foundation, business by John Miller, Associated Press http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/boise/2011/feb/19/albertsons-heir-made-millions-k12-inc-prom
otes-it-idaho-schools/
Another informative story regarding the money trail into Tom Luna's campaign: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/02/20/1535065/a-reform-plan-a-long-time-in-the.htm1#exzz 1EZuFLm4H
Stories by Dan Popkey-dpopkey@idahostatesman.comCopyright: @ 2011 Idaho Statesman Published: 02/20/11
1.
K-12 Education and Education Reform—The Idaho Senate passed legislation Thursday to eliminate tenure for new teachers and restrict collective bargaining while also voting on a separate bill to introduce merit pay. Both measures passed on 20-15 votes with eight Republicans joining Democratic ranks. Sponsors of the legislation to limit the IEA and hand over more power to the locally elected school boards touted the plan as a way to remove barriers to awarding good teacher and get rid of less effective teachers. Opponents decried the legislation as mean spirited. This is a slap in the fact of every teacher in our classrooms who make our students want to learn," said Sen. Broadsword, Republican, from Sagle. The second bill would restrict collective bargaining agreements to salaries and benefits while also phasing out tenure for new educators and current teachers who have yet to obtain continuing contracts following a probationary period.
The main bill in the education reform plan remains in the Senate and aims to boost technology in the classroom and require students to take four online classes to
graduate while also increasing the Beginning teacher pay to $30,000. It is interesting to note that beginning salary for teachers was $30,000 four years ago. The bill would also increase class sizes in
grades four through twelve to pay for computers for all 9th graders and for the Pay for Performance Program. The bulk of educational reforms including the pay for performance plan approved by the Senate and carries a $38
million price tag in the first year.
The plan would award bonuses for teachers who take on hard to fill positions or leadership roles. A major criticism is that no permanent funding source has been identified for this plan.
There is major concern that the Third Bill is lifting the 99 percent cap which provides a safety net for school districts with declining enrollment. The impact is primarily on smaller, rural school
districts that have difficult times recruiting math and science teachers to teach the added math and science requirements approved by the State Board. I asked what the impact on District 6 schools would be if the 99 percent cap was lifted. The negative impact in District 6 would be: Moscow -$101,195, Genesee - $117,000, Kendrick - $119,000, and Troy - $18,000. The entire impact on primarily rural school districts would be about $4.2 million. I am very much opposed to lifting the cap because it would widen the gap between the have and have not school districts.
The entire school reform effort has been a top down, heavy handed, state mandated approach which erodes local control. The entire decision making process was terrible flawed with no participation of the School Boards Association, PTA, School Administrators, the State Board of Education (which apparently didn't have a clue about Mr. Luna's proposal according to the Board's President), or any of the Idaho Universities and Colleges. Not a word was said by Mr. Luna during his fall election campaign. The outpouring of outrage against the plan was to be expected using this approach. I've received over 600 communications concerning the Plan—90 percent opposed. The first two bills to clear the Senatewill be up for a hearing in the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
2.Good News—Today JFAC approved the UI College of Agriculture and Life Science Research and Extension budget with no cuts on a 19-1 vote. This is a good piece of news for the UI and agriculture in the
state. One has to keep up a sense of humor in all of this legislative process.
I noticed that the House Chaplin occasionally wore a terribly tired looking orange and blue tie with little ponies on it (BSU). He said that many of his congregation and also members of the Legislature urged him to get a Vandal tie. I sent President Nellis a call for help and within three hours I had a new tie to present our Chaplin. I mentioned that when he wore it on the House floor it would no doubt give all of the Legislators a higher plan of spiritual guidance upon which to make crucial decisions facing the State.
3.Nullification Legislation---The Senate State Affairs Committee defeated the House approved Nullification bill late Friday morning after almost three hours of debate.
4. Freedom of Conscience Legislation—Several
legislators including myself introduced legislation that would protect Senior Citizen's advance directives and living wills
Regarding end of life instructions. Two of these pieces of legislation including mine
are still in the Chairman of State Affairs desk drawer. One attempt was turned down by
The State Affairs Committee.
There is another bill that addresses the issue but AARP doesn't feel it does the job. We will keep working on it.
5. Taxes—as the Ides of March approach the question of any tax increases comes to mind.
I've heard the Speaker say that there will be no tax increases, and then Rep. Lake, Chair of the House Rev and Tax Committee, today told me he will be introducing a tax increase on tobacco products
bill. The increase in taxes would go to fund health related programs.
In any event keep tuned. Bob Huntley, former Democratic candidate for Governor, reported at a recent meeting that Idaho loses about $50 million/year because of "sweetheart" deals that the Idaho Tax Commission makes with out-of-state corporations. He also reported that a national survey noted that the Idaho Tax Commission is one of the most corrupt Tax Commissions in the U.S.
That's all for this week. Please send me your comments, observations, and recommendations. You can contact me at ttrail@house.idaho.gov. My phone is 208-332-1184.
Rep. Tom Trail
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