Ybarra: Stick to teacher funding plan

Idaho state school Superintendent Sherri Ybarra told lawmakers Thursday that funding the third year of Idaho’s five-year plan to improve teacher pay is imperative, “not only to attract new teachers into the profession, but also to provide an incentive for our great Idaho teachers to remain in the classroom.”

Next year’s piece of the state’s new teacher career ladder is the priciest one. Originally estimated at $58 million, it’s now up to $62 million thanks to higher than expected student enrollments this year that pushed up next year’s projections by roughly 100 classrooms full of kids. That’s the largest single piece of the $104 million-plus increase Ybarra’s requesting for the schools next year/ Betsy Russell , SR. More here.