Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
Idaho has had $25 million sitting in a fund since 2006 to help school districts that absolutely can't pass school construction bonds and have met a series of qualifications. Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, asked why that fund wasn't tapped to avoid further school cuts next…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
Lawmakers are now asking questions of state schools Supt. Tom Luna about his far-reaching proposal for budget savings of $135 million in the overall, all-funds public school budget next year, through a combination of new cuts and draining several other funds. Among the questions: If…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
Here's Luna's proposal: Take $3.3 million from the state Department of Education's driver training account, $2.2 million from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Account, and $52.8 million from the public school earnings reserve fund of the state endowment, for a total of $58.3 million in…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna wants to tap $52.8 million from the public schools earning reserve fund of the state endowment fund to avoid deeper budget cuts to schools. "Simply put this is a one-time drawdown of an excess reserve fund," he said, "...…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
Idaho's reading initiative is another area of success, state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna told lawmakers. The number of students reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade has risen from 66 percent to 76 percent. "We are now seen as a national…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
Among the successes state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna is touting is the use of a Web-based math program called Apangea that students can use for remediation and math practice, as part of his math initiative. "As of today, 35,000 students have received assistance through…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna opened his budget pitch by telling lawmakers that 10 years ago, under Gov. Phil Batt, Idaho began an "educational journey" toward a new, standards-based system of education, rather than an inputs-based system. The idea, he said, was to determine…
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
There's a full house for the public school budget hearing in JFAC this morning. The meeting also is being streamed live on the Internet and shown in a large auditorium in the Capitol's underground wing for public viewing.
Thu., Jan. 28, 2010
To start off the budget hearing this morning on Idaho's K-12 school budget, legislative budget analyst Paul Headlee is presenting information on how other states are coping with education funding. "Likely more than 70 percent of the states have taken some actions to reduce their…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the reaction from lawmakers today to the governor's plan to phase out state funding for Idaho Public Television over the next four years. "I just don't see this committee doing that," said Sen. Dean Cameron,…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
The Senate Resources Committee has voted unanimously to introduce legislation from Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, to make the state Board of Parks and Recreation advisory, and let the governor appoint the state parks director. The board now hires the director. Schroeder, the committee's chairman, said…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Lawmakers say they've been deluged with calls and emails asking them not to cut out state funding for Idaho Public Television. "There's a lot of support out there, but we have to weigh it against the other needs and wants of the state," said Sen.…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
House and Senate Democrats held a press conference today to unveil a six-bill jobs package that includes fast-tracking renewable energy projects; setting up a new "jobs council" under the governor's office; providing state help to expanding small businesses; offering a tax credit for venture capital…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, asked IPTV head Peter Morrill, "Could you just do regular commercial advertisements like any other television station?" Morrill noted that IPTV raises more private money than many of its peer networks. But, he said, "Idaho Public Television is licensed by the…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, asked IPTV General Manager Peter Morrill if he'd be allowed to come on IPTV to advocate for or against funding. "We really haven't produced any TV programs about the funding issue for Idaho Public Television," Morrill responded. "If we were to…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
The governor's proposed budget for Idaho Public TV for next year is just $1.1 million in state general funds, down from $1.66 million this year. That's a reduction of $550,700, "or minus 33 percent," IPTV General Manager Peter Morrill told lawmakers. The governor proposes a…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Peter Morrill, general manager of Idaho Public Television, told legislative budget writers, "There is no statewide newspaper, there is no statewide radio system, there is no statewide commercial television." There is just Idaho Public Television, when it comes to a statewide medium that links the…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls supported formation of the College of Western Idaho in the Treasure Valley, CSI President Jerry Beck told lawmakers, but it did cost CSI money - it's no longer billing Ada and County counties for tuition for students…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Bert Glandon, president of the College of Western Idaho, says the new Treasure Valley community college set a record nationally when it opened with 1,208 students. Most community colleges start up with no more than 200 students enrolling, he said. "We jumped to 3,600 in…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, asked North Idaho College President Priscilla Bell about her support for a proposed $1.047 million additional allocation to College of Western Idaho next year for its enrollment growth. "I want to gauge your level of support - are you willing to…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
North Idaho College President Priscilla Bell told legislative budget writers this morning that her college has no wish list for funding, recognizing the tight state budget. Students will, however, feel the impact of holdbacks and budget reductions, she said, as they come at a time…
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has received the report and recommendation from the Joint Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee, and voted unanimously to accept the report - which doesn't mean it's accepting that panel's numbers for the state budget. "The process this morning is for…
Tue., Jan. 26, 2010
Idaho should start planning now to replace the state's most outdated, inefficient, hard-to-staff and expensive-to-run prisons, a new report from the Legislature Office of Performance Evaluations found today, a move that would yield big long-term savings and set the state up to better manage the…
Tue., Jan. 26, 2010
GOP congressional candidate Vaughn Ward was enthusiastically endorsed by former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna, former state Board of Education President Milford Terrell and Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak at a Statehouse press conference on Tuesday as he kicked off…
Tue., Jan. 26, 2010
At the rules hearing earlier today on part-time state employee health benefits, the Senate Commerce Committee refused to pass on the rule change until the Department of Administration explains why it made the change without seeking legislative approval. "I wasn't as troubled by the actual…
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