In the debate on SB 1110, the teacher performance-pay bill, Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said, "I believe this bill is not ready and it certainly is not funded." Passing it without a funding source, she said, threatens to compete with existing school funding for already-strapped school districts.

The bill is part of a three-bill package proposed by state schools Supt. Tom Luna; its funding would come from raising class sizes in grades 4-12, but that bill has been sent back to the Senate Education Committee for a rework.

Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, debating in favor of the bill, said, "It's important that those folks who are willing to put in their time to create a new curriculum, or those folks who are willing to mentor new teachers, or those folks that are willing ... to provide leadership, are rewarded. That's really what we're talking about here." He said it will let teachers "be able to have more control over their wages."

Sen. Melinda Smyser, R-Parma, said, "It's just like a business. If I'm not doing the job, I'm going to be fired. ... With this bill, teachers will finally be rewarded."