Idaho House passes bill to limit teachers union

BOISE (AP) - Legislation to phase out "tenure" for new teachers and restrict collective bargaining cleared its final hurdle Tuesday in the Idaho Legislature.

The bill passed the Idaho House on a 48-22 vote, with nine Republicans joining Democrats in opposition to the GOP-backed measure after more than three hours of debate.

The measure is part of Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's plan to reform the K-12 education system in Idaho, where the furor over the proposed overhaul has triggered student and teacher protests and prompted cries for civility from state leaders.

The Idaho Education Association bemoaned passage of the legislation to limit the union, saying it will gut teacher rights. The group planned protest rallies across the state today, when the House is expected to take up another piece of Luna's reform plan and vote on a bill that would introduce merit pay.

"Idahoans have spoken out for two months against these bills, but lawmakers refuse to listen," said Idaho Education Association President Sherri Wood.

Supporters of the legislation contend the plan will hand over more power to Idaho's locally elected school boards when it comes to labor relations. The bill removes barriers to awarding good educators and getting rid of those who are less effective, said state Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, who chairs the House Education Committee.

"This bill is about returning the balance of authority to local school boards and the public," Nonini said.

But opponents condemned the legislation as a slap in the face to teachers and a mean-spirited move to dismantle the Idaho Education Association.

The bill will restrict collective bargaining agreements to salaries and benefits while also phasing out "tenure" for new educators and current teachers who have yet to obtain what is now called a continuing contract. New educators would instead be offered one- to two-year contracts following a three-year probationary period.

Teachers with seniority would no longer be safe when school districts reduce their work force; a program that provides cash incentives for teachers to retire early would be eliminated; and Idaho school districts that lose students would no longer get to hold onto 99 percent of the state funding that came with that student for another year to avoid teacher cuts.

"There are parts of it that I think are going to create more problems than they solve," said state Rep. Shirley Ringo, a Moscow Democrat and retired teacher.

The House will next take up legislation that would tie some teacher pay to student achievement and award bonuses for those who take on leadership roles or hard-to-fill positions.

The biggest piece of Luna's reform package remains stalled in the Senate. That legislation would boost technology in the classroom, require online courses and increase the minimum teacher pay from $29,655 to $30,000. It would also increase classroom sizes in grades four through 12 to pay for a bulk of the education reforms, including the pay-for-performance plan that will go before the House carrying a $38 million price tag in its first year.