The $125 million career ladder proposal to raise Idaho teacher pay appears to be in trouble as major legislative deadlines loom, Idaho Education News reports. The bill, which is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday in the House Education Committee, may not have the votes to clear the committee, with some members concerned over the cost and others concerned that the pay boosts aren’t enough.

Idaho EdNews reporter Clark Corbin writes that committee Vice Chair Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree, has been working it hard, meeting with the panel’s other 11 Republicans and three Democrats. Writes Corbin: “When asked if the bill will die in committee, VanOrden considered her response for several seconds, then said, ‘maybe.’ On Thursday, VanOrden thought the bill was dead for sure. By Friday, she said she was a little more optimistic. ‘I heard concerns there is not enough money put into it, that salaries aren’t going up high enough,’ VanOrden said. ‘I’ve heard concerns it is too much money. … I’ve heard a question about whether there is too much accountability. (Others say there is) not enough accountability.’”

Corbin writes that VanOrden says last week’s unanimous rejection of the tiered teacher licensing rule in the Senate Education Committee, which had been viewed as a companion to the career ladder, was part of the deal struck in crafting the career ladder bill. Meanwhile, Corbin reports that legislative budget writers are crafting backup plans for a 3 percent raise for teachers next year, to match the merit raises state employees would get, if the career ladder plan doesn’t come together. Corbin’s full report is online here.