State support up $56M in schools budget

BOISE (AP) — Legislative budget writers voted to boost state support for public schools by 4.6 percent next year while increasing the minimum teacher salary to $30,500.

The education budget totals $1.56 billion in 2013 and was approved Monday. The spending plan includes $1.27 billion in state general funding, for an increase of about $56 million over this year, when schools took a $47 million hit.

The plan still needs House and Senate approval. It does not shift money from teacher salaries to help pay for education reforms that were signed into law last year with backing from public schools chief Tom Luna.

A bill passed by the Idaho Senate eliminates the salary reductions spelled out in the reform plan, leaving lawmakers to find money for new technology and teacher merit pay bonuses.