Debate on merit-pay bill: ‘Not ready, not funded,’ ‘teachers finally rewarded’

In the debate on SB 1110, the teacher performance-pay bill, Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said, “I believe this bill is not ready and it certainly is not funded.” Passing it without a funding source, she said, threatens to compete with existing school funding for already-strapped school districts.

The bill is part of a three-bill package proposed by state schools Supt. Tom Luna; its funding would come from raising class sizes in grades 4-12, but that bill has been sent back to the Senate Education Committee for a rework.

Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d’Alene, debating in favor of the bill, said, “It’s important that those folks who are willing to put in their time to create a new curriculum, or those folks who are willing to mentor new teachers, or those folks that are willing … to provide leadership, are rewarded. That’s really what we’re talking about here.” He said it will let teachers “be able to have more control over their wages.”

Sen. Melinda Smyser, R-Parma, said, “It’s just like a business. If I’m not doing the job, I’m going to be fired. … With this bill, teachers will finally be rewarded.”