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

Eye On Boise

Trustees favor much of 1108, oppose 99 percent provision

Karen Echeverria, executive director of the Idaho School Boards Association, said according to the association's survey, "For the most part trustees across the state strongly support the major elements of this bill, SB 1108," including replacing tenure, or continuing contracts, with two-year rolling contracts; eliminating seniority as a criteria for reductions in force; limiting collective bargaining to salaries and benefits; and requiring all negotiated agreements to end every year. "Many of the negotiations provisions have long tied the hands of trustees around the state, and made it difficult to manage the affairs of their school districts," she said.

However, she said her members oppose the "loss of the 99 percent protection factor" and have concerns about the "impact this could have for small rural districts with declining enrollment." They also think basing 50 percent of teacher evaluations on student achievement is too high a percentage, and feel ultimate decision over hiring of teachers should stay with school boards, rather than, as the bill provides, giving principals veto power. School board members like the idea of having a pay for performance plan, she said.
 



Betsy Z. Russell

Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

Follow Betsy online: