The Senate Education Committee is hearing introductions and presentations from education stakeholder groups today; three of them, the Idaho Education Association, the Idaho School Boards Association, and the Idaho School Administrators Association, appeared together. “Over the past few years, we’ve worked very hard to find areas of agreement, and our three associations have met regularly ... to identify our shared priorities,” Karen Echeverria, executive director of the ISBA, told the committee. “And we are dedicated to continuing the dialogue on all matters that are important to our memberships.”

Rob Winslow of the ISAA said the groups will disagree on occasion. “However, we stand before you in general agreement on many, many issues, and we are excited to assist you,” he said.

Robin Nettinga of the IEA said all three groups were invited over the summer to meet with state schools Superintendent Sherri Ybarra on funding issues, and all three agreed on two top priorities: Operational funding for school districts, and fully funding the second year of the teacher career ladder.” In addition, the IEA identified teacher mentoring as a third priority; and the ISBA and ISAA pointed to rising health insurance costs.

Nettinga said the three groups also have met “on numerous occasions” with staffers for the governor’s office, the state Department of Education and the state Board of Education. “We’re pleased to report that in nearly all instances, we have had detailed discussions and we have been offered multiple opportunities to provide input on their proposals.” Winslow added, “We are deeply appreciative of the opportunity to provide our input early on. We believe that the policy proposals will be stronger as a result.” You can listen to the meeting live here.

Those three groups were followed by Matt Freeman, executive director of the state Board of Education, who noted that the board voted unanimously to back Gov. Butch Otter’s education funding proposals; and state schools Superintendent Sherri Ybarra, who told the senators, “I was so excited about that budget that I almost cried.