Albertson Foundation threatens to withhold $4.5M

BOISE (AP) - The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is threatening to withhold $4.5 million it's promised to Idaho next year for a computer program to track student progress.

The foundation in Boise said the money now won't be paid unless Idaho restores taxpayer funding for teacher professional development - money put in jeopardy when voters rejected public schools chief Tom Luna's Students Come First overhaul Nov. 6.

The Albertson Foundation promised $21 million in 2011 for student-performance-monitoring software from SchoolNet Inc., a New York company.

According to a letter from the foundation to Idaho budget writers, however, the final $4.5 million won't be paid "unless the professional development funds are secured."

Melissa McGrath, Luna's spokeswoman, said Friday he'll announce a remedy for the potential loss of funding, but not until next week.