The Senate Education Committee invites public testimony on state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna's "Students Come First" school reform plan, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 8-9-10. The public hearings will run from 3-5 p.m. in the Capitol Auditorium; people can sign up to testify starting…
Roger Brown, education adviser to Gov. Butch Otter, noted that the proposed school reform plan wouldn't equip every Idaho 9th grader with laptops until the fall of 2012. "We intend to have 18 months full of meetings, bring all the stakeholders together, talk about what…
Christine Donnell, the retired superintendent of the Meridian School District and current executive director of the Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence, said she had 36 first-graders when she first started teaching in the 1970s - but she also had probably 30 very involved, stay-at-home…
House and Senate Democrats have issued a statement on the Luna school reform plan, rejecting it as a "job-killing plan" that's "more about politics than promoting student performance." The minority party said, "Though there may be some worthy ideas rolled into the two hefty bills,…
Vince Hannity of the Idaho Business Coalition for Education Excellence told the Senate Education Committee that his group is concerned about how few Idaho students go on to college. "In the future, most new jobs will require highly skilled workers," he said. "If Idaho's education…
Laurie Boeckel of the Idaho Parent-Teacher Association told the Senate Education Committee that her organization isn't taking a stand for or against the Luna reform plan. She said the group supports increased opportunities for dual enrollment and advanced courses. But it has concerns about increased…
Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, asked Sherri Wood of the Idaho Education Association, "Will your organization put in front of us a comprehensive alternative?" Wood responded, "We certainly could put out some kind of a plan, and we have a number of ideas." But, she said,…
Idaho Education Association President Sherri Wood said, "Idaho educators are not opposed to change." She said her association helped develop the Idaho Reading Initiative and other reforms. "We are not OK with the status quo," she said. But, she said of the Luna plan, "His…
Phil Homer of the Idaho Association of School Administrators told the Senate Education Committee that his organization opposes the requirement that students take six online courses in high school. "We'd like to reduce that to one or two," and let school districts decide, he said.…
More than 300 parents, teachers and students are gathered on the Statehouse steps, cheering loudly in a cold wind, in opposition to state schools Supt. Tom Luna's school reform plan. Among the signs they're carrying: "Stop the Luna-cy" and "We Love Our Teachers."
Karen Echeverria, executive director of the Idaho School Boards Association, said the group surveyed its 560 school board members across the state. "For the most part trustees across the state support the major components of this bill," she said, including eliminating tenure for new teachers,…
As the Senate Education Committee continued detailed questions to Luna aide Jason Hancock on the proposed school reform bills, points highlighted included a clause doing away with the current law that teachers must get the same pay and contract length as the previous year, replacing…
Senators are now questioning Luna aide Jason Hancock about details of some of the wording in the lengthy school-reform bills, including a line that appears to suggest a school district could give a teacher just one day to accept and sign a contract before declaring…
Sen. Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, told state schools Supt. Tom Luna, "Any major reform like the one we're looking at today requires a lot of time. ... You have a task force, you might have a commission, you have all the stakeholders in. ... You've got…
Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise, told state schools Supt. Tom Luna, "As you mention, the hot-button issues thus far have been class size, laptops and online classes." He said he's been hearing a "process question" raised: That there are lots of groups representing parents, educators and…
Senators are now questioning state schools Supt. Tom Luna on his school reform plan. Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, noted this year's cuts in school funding, which totaled more than $128 million. "Does your plan include restoration of all those?" she asked. Luna responded, "Yes, but…
There's been "an organized attempt to get people riled up" over his school reform plan, state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna told the Senate Education Committee. He said people have focused on his proposals to require online courses, provide a laptop for every high school…
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna told the Senate Education Committee that since he first proposed his school reform plan last month, "We know that our economic situation is worse." Schools now face a possible shortfall next year of up to $80 million, he said.…
The education hearing has begun, with Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, urging the crowd to be civil. "There'll be no applause or boos, and everyone show respect for each other's position," he said. Stakeholders each will have 10 minutes to present, he said.…
The Senate Education Committee will launch four days of hearings at 3 p.m. today on state schools Supt. Tom Luna's sweeping school-reform plan, which is contained in two giant bills, SB 1068 and SB 1069. Today's hearing will include Luna's presentation on the lengthy legislation.…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Some hunters who ride all-terrain vehicles to pursue their quarry have gone to the Idaho Legislature in a bid to expand where they can drive. They're getting assistance from Mountain Home Republican Sen.…
There have been repeated warnings in recent days from police and state officials that the new synthetic drug marketed as "bath salts" is not, in fact, bath salts; it's a particular, and dangerous, chemical that has been marketed online and in drug paraphernalia stores as…
Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said he's now read HB 28, the legislation from Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, to amend Idaho's "conscience law" to protect living wills. "I have read it and read it again," Loertscher said. But he still hasn't decided whether to allow…
Rep. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, has been named vice-chairman of the House transportation committee, replacing Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol. Hart stepped down from the post Friday to avoid a sanction from a special House Ethics Committee, which was on the verge of calling for his removal…
After much debate, the House has voted 49-20 to pass a non-binding memorial from Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, urging a new "parental rights amendment" to the U.S. Constitution. Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, was among the opponents. "It is a sovereignty issue, it's a 10th…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
