The Idaho State Journal reports Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has requested a 5.1 percent increase in state funding for Idaho’s public school system with regards to the fiscal year of 2014.
In a news release, it is stated that the average teacher in Idaho will see a $2,000 increase in total compensation sometime this year. Luna said he also hopes to further increase teacher pay in the fiscal year of 2014 for teachers, as well as the pay of other school district employees.
“I am excited about this budget because it provides Idaho educators with the resources they need to continue improving education for every child across Idaho,” Luna said. “Ninety percent of the new funding requested goes toward increasing compensation and benefits for the employees who are working hard in schools across the state every day.”
State agencies are required to submit budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year to the governor in early September.
Below are detailed highlights concerning Luna’s budget request for the upcoming fiscal year:
· Continues to fully fund all components of the “Students Come First” legislation.
· $14.8 million: Increase base salaries for Idaho teachers, administrators and classified staff by 1.67 percent, offsetting an FY2012 shift in salary-based apportionment under Idaho Code.
· $6.2 million: Restore one year of experience that is currently frozen on the grid for Idaho teachers.
· $22.6 million: Increase funding for statewide pay-for-performance to $61 million. This increase includes new funding to financially reward Idaho teachers for taking on leadership duties and working in hard-to-fill positions. It also includes funding to ensure school-based classified staff, such as paraprofessionals, can participate in school-wide student achievement bonuses in the future.
· $8.4 million: Increase to deploy 1:1 laptop devices to high school students in the first one-third of high schools selected statewide. High school teachers and principals statewide will receive 1:1 devices this fall.
· $1 million: Increase the line item dedicated to District IT staff support at the local level.
·$1.1 million: Increase the line item dedicated to Remediation, Math Initiative and the Reading Initiative to assist local school districts in implementing the new Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English language arts and the state’s new accountability system, known as the Five-Star Rating System.
The budget request reflects recommendations Superintendent Luna received in August from representatives of the Idaho School Boards Association, Idaho Association of School Administrators, Idaho Education Association, Idaho Association of School Business officials and other stakeholder groups.
The school system budget request now heads to the governor’s office for consideration.
The governor will present his budget request to the Idaho Legislature in January of 2013. Members of the legislature will set the budget for the fiscal year 2014 within the same time frame.
The fiscal year of 2014 begins on July 1, 2013.
