Idaho teacher merit pay delayed

BOISE – The release of data telling teachers whether they’ve earned a bonus under Idaho’s new merit pay plan has been delayed again, education officials said Friday.

The pay-for-performance data likely won’t go out until next week, state Department of Education spokeswoman Melissa McGrath said. The information was initially scheduled to go out on Sept. 1, but the release was rescheduled for this week before being delayed a second time.

The release was held up because school districts were given more time to appeal student achievement results earlier this year, McGrath said.

After districts get the merit pay data, they’ll have 30 days to appeal any of the information being used to calculate the bonuses.

The data dump was pushed back as opponents of the pay-for-performance system criticize state officials over the timing of the bonus payout, scheduled for Nov. 15. The bonuses are part of a reform package that was introduced by state schools chief Tom Luna in 2011 and is being challenged at the ballot box on Nov. 6.