Adam Cotterell

Kyle Stokes / StateImpact Indiana

On Nov. 6 Idaho voters repealed a trio of education laws that were put into place in 2011.

Idaho school Superintendent Tom Luna said this week the voter repeal of his education laws would mean a financial hit to districts. Today his department released an estimate of that impact. It says the Nov. 6 ‘no’ votes on Propositions 1, 2 and 3, takes more than $36 million off the table.

That money had been slated for schools. Nampa School’s spokesperson Allison Westfall says her district has been trying to figure out what the repeal means for them.

“There are some things we need to learn more about,” says Westfall. “There was a clause in there about funding for certified staff. There was professional development dollars, technology. So what becomes of all that? And we are eager to hear the answers.” Continue Reading →

Idaho’s Teacher Bonuses In Question After Prop 2 “No” Vote

November 8, 2012 | 5:43 PM

By Adam Cotterell

Molly Messick / StateImpact Idaho

"Vote No" buttons and bracelets were in good supply at the campaign's election night gathering.

Idaho voters rejected the state’s merit pay plan for teachers when they said no to Proposition 2 this week. However, many schools and teachers have earned bonuses for work over the last year, during which the Students Come First laws were in place.

Now, whether or not that money will get into teachers’ hands is uncertain.

This much we know: the state is legally obligated to send bonus money to school districts by November 15. Idaho’s secretary of state has said that for weeks, and the state’s attorney general agrees. The money has to go out even though voters rejected the law, because the law remains in place until election results are certified on Nov. 21. Continue Reading →

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