Legislative Update from Rep. Trail, Feb. 26th: Educational Issues

[Tom Trail <RepTrail@infotrail.com>]

Visionaries:

We are rapidly finishing up the 7th week of the legislative session.  A
number of educational bills and issues have predominated the session this week.

1.  Reading Initiatives  --  The House Education Committee passed three
reading initiative bills on to the House floor.  These included bills on
statewide assessment, summer school intervention for those students who are
in the bottom 25% of their class in terms of reading scores, and
pre-service and in-service training for teachers.  JFAC has appropriated
about $4,000,000 for the initiatives.

2.  PERSI  --  The House Commerce and Human Resources Committee approved a
joint resolution calling for the establishment of an Interim Committee to
review and study the PERSI bills over the summer.  This process will
involve holding public hearing and developing legislation for the next
session. 

3.  Gifted and Talented Program  --  JFAC approved $500,000 for gifted and
talented programs in the public schools.

4.  Gifted and Talented Resolution  --  Reps. Sellman, Boe, and I
introduced a resolution to the House Education Committee today.  The
resolution calls for the establishment of an interim legislative committee
to study the gifted and talented programs mandated by the state and to
recommend alternative means of funding the program.  To date this is
largely an unfunded mandate from the state to the school districts.  The
bill was approved to be printed.

5.  Mentoring Programs --  JFAC approved $417,000 to support teacher
mentoring programs.

6.  Teacher Salaries  --  JFAC approved a 3% increase in teachers salaries
in the budget.  The monies flow to the public school districts.

7.  Drug Free Schools/Substance Abuse Education Programs  --  A total of
$5,175,000 was approved by JFAC.  Evidence indicates these are effective
programs.  The State Tax Commission has held back $500,000 from the lottery
that was suppose to go into the fund;  Rep. Ken Robison is looking into
changing the statute so the money will go to support the program instead of
into the general fund.

8.  Master Teachers  --  JFAC approved $51,000 for Master Teachers who have
completed their National Board Examinations.

9. School facilities  --  A bill coming from the Senate side proposed to
give school boards the authority without voter participation the right to
increase levies to fix "safety" problems in the schools.  The levy has to
be approved by a judge.  This is a Band-Aid approach to try and fix the
school building problems in the state instead of trying to reach an overall
solution.  I will be voting against this bill.



Rep. Trail, district 5

 I would like constituents to e-mail, phone, fax, or write me with their
ideas, comments and recommendations.  

by phone: (at the House Communications Center)

208-332-1201 or 1000  (phone)
208-334-5397  (fax)

by email:

Boise daytime:           ttrail@house.state.id.us
Boise evening:            mjmaxwell@juno.com
Moscow (weekends):   ttrail@moscow.com

if uncertain, you can send email to RepTrail@infotrail.com and your message
will be forwarded to me at the proper location.

or by normal mail

Idaho State Legislature,
State Capitol Bldg
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0038

Legislative newsletters and additional materials and information can be
located on my web
and home page http://www.infotrail.com/idaho/idaho.html