Teacher Contract Changes Criticized

Some lawmakers saw it as a challenge to the continuing contracts that teachers can expect.

But sponsors said legislation sent to Gov. Phil Batt on Monday was designed to give school administrators more flexibility in dealing with teachers hired on a temporary basis.

The bill was approved on a 48-20 vote by the House.

Two former educators, retired principal Rep. Jim Stoicheff, D-Sandpoint, and Rep. June Judd, D-St. Maries, who taught for 28 years, both said the change was unnecessary.

“They can do that now,” said Stoicheff. “There doesn’t seem to be any real need for this,” Judd said. “The framework is there for handling these situations.”

The bill would give districts authority to hire teachers on a one-year limited contract, with no additional notice required for termination at the end of that contract.

Sponsors said it’s a long, involved process to terminate a teacher, even one hired with the understanding that the job is to last just one school year.

Sponsor Rep. Lee Gagner, R-Idaho Falls, said the legislation applies only to teachers hired after Aug. 1, and that doesn’t happen often. , DataTimes