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November 12, 2012

Idaho’s Attorney General Says Schools Have One Month To Distribute Teacher Bonuses

The Idaho Attorney General’s office says school districts have until December 15, 2012 to distribute roughly $38 million in teacher bonuses that were part of an education law voters overturned last week. Voters rejected Proposition 2 on Nov. 6. That’s the provision that asked voters whether to uphold or repeal Idaho’s pay for performance plan […]

November 9, 2012

It’s Unanimous: Idaho Should Expand Medicaid Eligibility

All fourteen members of Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s Medicaid Expansion Work Group arrived at the same opinion this afternoon: Medicaid eligibility should be expanded in Idaho. It was the conclusion of a months-long discussion and research set in motion when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act earlier this year. […]

Group Studying Idaho Medicaid Expansion May Make Recommendation To Gov. Otter Today

The working group that is studying whether Idaho should expand its Medicaid program holds its third — and perhaps final — meeting today. The group established by Governor Otter in July is charged with understanding the implications of expanding Medicaid eligibility to adults living at or below 138 percent of the poverty line. The Medicaid […]

November 8, 2012

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

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 […]

Why Idahoans Rejected Proposition 3

Idaho voters delivered a ringing defeat of Propositions 1, 2 and 3 Tuesday, rejecting the three-part education overhaul backed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, and approved by the Legislature in 2011. The most resounding “No” came on Proposition 3, which addressed online education and technology in schools. Voters […]

November 7, 2012

Map: Voters Overturn Luna’s Education Laws, Reject Propositions 1, 2 And 3

Voters sent a clear message to Idaho lawmakers this week by rejecting all three education propositions by margins of 15 percent or more. See how each county voted and compare that to support for Tom Luna’s 2010 reelection bid.

Tom Luna & Gov. Otter Issue Statements On Failure Of Idaho’s Props 1, 2 And 3

Here’s the statement from Tom Luna on the failure of Propositions 1, 2, and 3: “I still believe that Idahoans want better schools through education reform. I still believe that empowering local school boards, phasing out tenure, giving parents input on evaluations, helping students take dual credit, paying teachers for more than just years of […]

November 6, 2012

Election Day: Idahoans Cast Their Votes On Propositions 1, 2 And 3

The most potent statewide issue on this Election Day is the tug-of-war over Propositions 1, 2 and 3. Today, as we have talked to voters at polling places in the Boise area, we’ve asked how they decided to vote, and why. The propositions correspond to three education laws that the Legislature approved in 2011. The […]

November 5, 2012

Gov. Otter To Weigh Conflicting Messages In Health Insurance Exchange Decision

It’s been a significant policy question for a year now: Will Idaho create a state-based health insurance exchange? With hours remaining until Election Day, it’s a safe bet that Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter will not make his call before the presidential vote tally is in. When the governor does sit down to make his decision, […]

November 3, 2012

Map And Tables: See Who Is Spending For And Against Idaho’s Props 1, 2, 3

The campaigns for and against Idaho’s Propositions 1, 2, 3 have brought in a lot of money. When you add it all up, the two sides have received donations totaling $4.88 million. It’s all focused on a months-long tug-of-war over whether the package of controversial education laws known as Students Come First will be upheld or repealed on November 6.

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