The House convened this morning, but then almost immediately went at ease for a majority party caucus – to discuss whether or not to attempt to override Gov. Butch Otter’s veto yesterday of HB 501, a measure dealing with teacher evaluations.

House Education Chair Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree, the sponsor of the bill, said, “I still believe in my bill, but am I going to push for any kind of override? No.”

The bill would have removed the Idaho Reading Indicator from a list of measures that districts could choose to take into account in teacher evaluations, as a measurement of student growth. Since the bill first passed, lawmakers have approved a new budget that includes funding for a statewide rollout of a more extensive replacement of the 20-year-old IRI. VanOrden said, “It’s still a tool for the teachers to use in the classroom, and that’s what it’s supposed to be.”