Idaho nets $51 million to preserve teacher jobs

BOISE — The state Department of Education says Idaho will receive more than $51 million in federal education funding to preserve teacher jobs. Gov. Butch Otter and public schools chief Tom Luna determined last month that Idaho was eligible for the money, which is part of the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act. Luna said Tuesday he hopes to pump the new funding into classrooms as quickly as possible. Idaho lawmakers cut the K-12 public school budget for the first time during the 2010 session, trimming it by 7.5 percent or roughly $128 million.