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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Idaho teacher pay bill held, legislative session extended

Idaho state Capitol (Betsy Russell)
BOISE – Teachers from all over Idaho traveled to the Capitol this week to speak out against a controversial teacher performance-pay plan, and now the bill – which is the centerpiece of this year’s legislative session – is dead, a new one’s in the works, and Idaho’s legislative session will likely extend beyond its hoped-for March 27 adjournment date. House Education Chairman Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, said Wednesday he wanted to hold HB 222, the $125 million, five-year teacher “career ladder” pay bill, in his committee and propose a new one, either late this week or early next week. “With some minor tweaks, this could be a better bill,” he said. The Legislature’s joint budget committee had planned to set the public schools budget – the largest single piece of Idaho’s state budget – on Thursday morning. But after hearing about the delay on the teacher pay bill, Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said they’ll hold off, and won’t set it this week. Taking action on school funding without the results of the teacher-pay debate “puts us in a precarious position,” Cameron said. That’s likely to push Idaho’s legislative session past March 27, as it typically takes at least two weeks after all state budgets are set before they’ve worked their way through both houses and set up a possible adjournment. The House Education Committee took five and a half hours of testimony on the teacher pay bill on Tuesday; 56 people testified. Forty-eight spoke against the bill, and eight in favor. “Please don’t pass the bill ‘til you’ve considered the reasons so many teachers are opposed,” Meghan Cramer of Potlatch told the lawmakers. Derek Kohles, a Lake City High School teacher and president of the Coeur d’Alene Education Association, said, “The real problem is a shortage of educators willing to work in this state … because they don’t think they can make it here. … They are voting with their feet. We are seeing it.” Kohles said the strings tied to teacher raises in the bill, from evaluations to student performance measures, are “a disincentive to teaching in the state.” He urged the lawmakers, “Increase the resources to schools, let go of the reins and give educators the ability to do their jobs.” But DeMordaunt opened the hearing saying the most important part of the bill is its focus on student growth and achievement. “If we don’t focus on that, then I believe that all we’re doing is ultimately in vain,” he declared. Penni Cyr, president of the Idaho Education Association, said teachers weren’t involved in drafting the bill, and they should have been. While the focus is raising teacher pay over five years – with starting salaries set to rise from the current $31,750 to $37,000 by the fifth year – the bill only includes a 1.4 percent increase in starting teacher pay the first year. “Educators statewide are rightfully concerned that the money for Years 2 through 5 will never materialize,” Cyr said. “We’ve been here before, you know. … As we all know, when people are excluded there is no buy-in.” The bill would raise the money the state allocates for teacher salaries – school districts make the final decision on how much to pay teachers – in increments based on increasing experience and education, if teachers meet proficiency standards. It also includes a new annual premium for “master teachers,” and continues current leadership bonuses for which teachers are eligible. Nearly a third of Idaho’s teachers now make the state’s minimum teacher salary of $31,750. Under the bill, teachers now stuck at that rate – many have been there for years – would get a raise next year to $33,000. In Year 2, it would go to $35,117. In Year 3, the amount rises to $38,999, as those teachers move into a new “rung” of the “career ladder,” for “professional” teachers, or those with more than three years experience – assuming they qualify by meeting performance standards. In Year 4, the amount rises to $42,503. And in Year 5, it goes to $46,250. Starting in Year 4, those teachers would be eligible to earn additional payments for being “master” teachers; they also can earn additional amounts under the career ladder bill for additional education completed. A brand-new, first-year teacher starting in Year 1 of the career ladder – next year – would make $32,200 in state funds. One starting in Year 2 would make $33,400; Year 3, $34,600; Year 4, $35,800; and Year 5, $37,000. At Tuesday’s public hearing, DeMordaunt told a crowd of more than 200, “If you believe as I believe that we need to pay our teachers more, then I would encourage you to support this legislation. This puts us on a path to significantly raise salaries over the next several years. … However, we also have to be fiscally responsible for our state as well. We are doing what we can afford.” State schools Superintendent Sherri Ybarra is opposing the bill, calling instead for a 3 percent raise for teachers next year and more study of the bill’s concepts. Meridian teacher Warren Tourangeau told the committee, “There is a fire burning – teacher shortage is a fire. And this bill is going to throw gasoline on it.”