‘Difficult decision to reallocate resources’

After Otter aide Roger Brown assured the Senate Education Committee that the reform plan doesn’t envision replacing teachers with computers, Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said, “In the bill, there are at least three places where money is taken out of the funds that fund teachers, and … put into technology.” She said, “In that case, who will replace those teachers, or what will replace those teachers?”

Brown said, “The reality is we do not have the funds. … It is a difficult decision to make to reallocate any of those resources.” But he said Gov. Butch Otter believes the advantages of boosting technology in schools “merits consideration, serious consideration.” He said, “We don’t want to be overly prescriptive in telling a district what they must or must not cut.”