On Friday, Gov. Brad Little signed legislation to help educators in high-need and rural areas with various educational costs. Senate Bill 1290, sponsored by Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) and Rep. Sally Toone (D-Gooding), establishes a rural educator incentive program for educators who work in high-need or rural school districts and charter schools. It would provide the maximum amount of eligible …
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On Friday, the Senate passed a bill to help educators in high-need and rural areas with various educational costs. Senate Bill 1290, sponsored by Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) and Rep. Sally Toone (D-Gooding), establishes a rural educator incentive program for educators who work in high-need or rural school districts and charter schools. It would provide the maximum amount of eligible …
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During a news conference Friday, Senate Democrats pushed back against the Idaho Legislature’s return to the Statehouse next week. Sens. Michelle Stennett, Grant Burgoyne, and Janie Ward-Engelking raised concerns about the possible legal ramifications that could stem from the Senate, specifically, coming back into session after adjourning in May, not recessing like the House. No mechanism exists for the body …
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The Idaho Joint Democratic Caucus held a virtual news conference Wednesday highlighting the need to “put people over power plays,” emphasizing the urgency to move away from bills that grab more power for the legislature and instead use the limited remaining time in the 2021 Legislative Session to address education, property taxes and infrastructure. House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel and …
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Republican politicians have had supermajority control of the legislature and every statewide office for decades. Under their governance, Idaho has sunk to 51st place in education investment (and, remarkably, now they want to cut another $99 million from our education budget). For seven years they refused to even allow a vote on Medicaid expansion, leaving many thousands of Idahoans to …
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Idaho parents and grandparents like us have been heartbroken watching their children during coronavirus. We know it’s important to keep our students safe and healthy, and we appreciate how difficult it was for educators to revamp their instruction at the drop of a hat. Our teachers are doing the best they can with the limited resources that they have, but …
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Idaho State Capitol – The Senate Education committee voted to send Senator Grant Burgoyne’s/(D-Boise) Idaho Promise legislation to the 14th order for possible amendment. Idaho’s approach to increasing the percentage of residents prepared to enter the skilled workforce has a serious gap that new legislation proposed by Sen. Burgoyne intends to fill. Currently, local communities lack effective ways to help …
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Idaho State Capitol – On Monday, a bill to ban distracted driving passed the Senate floor with a vote. This legislation would prevent drivers from using their cell phones, computers or any other electronics while driving. Under this bill, a distracted driving violation would result in a moving violation and subsequent fines. “The use of cell phones and other electronic …
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Early childhood education is the key to giving Idaho’s youth a running start in school. If we want to have an educated workforce and a successful economy in the future, we have to start by investing in early childhood education. Luckily, Idaho just made a step in the right direction. For the very first time, Idaho was given the opportunity …
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As members of JFAC (Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee), we set all budgets and approve all appropriations for the State. We were delighted when Governor Little made education his top priority in his State of the State address. However, we became concerned when we saw some of his proposed education budgets. The Governor’s budget recommends more money for Opportunity Scholarships …
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