“Seldom has the future seemed either as hopeful or as uncertain,” Gov. Butch Otter told lawmakers in his State of the State message today. “It is beyond our power, or that of any state government, to bring order to national and global turmoil. But it is our responsibility and our duty as elected leaders to preserve and protect the steady framework of opportunity that the people of Idaho need in order to confidently pursue their dreams and freely express their civic virtue.”

He said that’s why “such a large share” of his recommended budget for next year is devoted to continuing to carry out the state’s five-year plan for improving education, which is entering its third year.

Overall, Otter’s proposed budget for next year totals $3.465 billion in state general funds, a 5.87 percent increase over this year. Among the increases for specific areas: Public schools, K-12, 6.4 percent; higher education, 2.16 percent; community colleges, 6.37 percent; corrections, 1.44 percent; professional-technical education, 3.41 percent; Department of Commerce, 0.3 percent; health and human services, 6.18 percent; and Idaho State Police, 7.86 percent. He’s recommending 3 percent merit-based raises for state employees. The budget would add the equivalent of 233 full-time state employees, for a total of 44,542, including public schools, community colleges and public health districts. Overall, 63 percent of Otter’s proposed fiscal year 2018 budget would go to education, including both K-12 and higher education.

The budget calls for a total of $104.2 million next year in state general funds to fulfill the task force’s recommendations, including the full $58 million to implement the next, and costliest, step of the “career ladder” to improve teacher pay; another $10 million boost to classroom technology; $6 million to improve teacher professional development; $5 million more for college and career counseling; $1 million more for advanced opportunities; and more.

Otter is proposing a 6.4 percent increase in public school funding next year from the state general fund, plus another $5 million he’ll direct to the state Board of Education for new training for school administrators on completing teacher evaluations, and for a new voluntary program to help principals at low-performing schools to make improvements.