SUPERINTENDENT LUNA REQUESTS 5% INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has requested a 5.1 percent increase in state funding for Idaho’s public schools for the 2013-14 school year, the state’s fiscal year 2014.

“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,” Superintendent Luna said. “Ninety percent of the new funding requested today goes toward increasing compensation and benefits for the employees who are working hard in schools across the state every day.”

The average teacher in Idaho will see a $2,000 increase in total compensation in the current year. Superintendent Luna hopes to increase that further in fiscal year 2014 for teachers as well as other school employees.

State agencies are required to submit budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year to the Governor in early September.

Here are the highlights of Superintendent Luna’s request for a 5.1 percent increase in state funding for Idaho’s public schools next fiscal year:

• Continues to fully fund all components of Students Come First. 
• $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 schoolwide 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 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 in August.

This budget request will now go to the Governor’s office for consideration. The Governor will present his budget request to the Idaho Legislature in January. The Legislature will set the budget for fiscal year 2014 early next year. Fiscal year 2014 begins July 1, 2013.