Local teachers offer testimony

Two Kootenai County teachers were in Boise Monday to present testimony to the Idaho Senate Education Committee.

Jamie Esler, of Lake City High School in Coeur d'Alene, and Katie Graupman, of Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake, were first recognized as the recipients of the Gem State's highest honors awarded to K-12 educators annually. Esler is this year's Idaho Teacher of the Year and Graupman was named Milken Educator of the Year in Idaho.

"These teachers have not only been recognized by the state, they are recognized every day by their students and colleagues as leaders, innovators and examples of the highly qualified, effective teachers in Idaho classrooms," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna. "These two represent thousands of wonderful, hard-working teachers that we have here in Idaho and I am excited that we have them here today to share."

Esler, who teaches science, began his presentation by thanking his wife and colleagues for pushing him to give 100 percent each and every day.

"I'm absolutely honored with the recognition of being Idaho's 2014 teacher of the year and all the positive things it's going to bring to my students and me," Esler said.

Esler told the lawmakers that he wanted to give an inside perspective into his life as an educator, which he said echoed that of the lives of many other public educators in the state. By spending time asking his colleagues what they would change about the education system, he said he found one common theme: a call for state support for the work teachers do.

Esler referenced the Confluence Project, which gives students the opportunity to become "citizen scientists" and collect data about the water quality in their communities. The program is largely dependent on grant funding and Esler said if it, and programs like it in other fields, are going to continue to impact students, they need state support.

"If our state truly intends to improve the quality of our education system across grade levels, across geographic boundaries, we must be willing to invest in programs that support this type of positive development," Esler said.

He pointed to the increase in school districts' dependence on local levies as particularly "troubling."

"Supplemental levies are no longer supplemental, they are crucial," Esler said. "This situation alone, I feel, has the potential to create inequalities to access to public education around the state."

Since voter-approved supplemental levies come from local property taxes, districts with higher property values often have more robust tax bases, giving them an advantage over areas with lower property values.

Esler encouraged the committee to reinvest in operational funding of public schools, rather than redirecting funds into what he called the state's "various rainy-day stabilization funds."

"With your support, this much-needed reinvestment will help success stories like mine grow and continue to impact students across the state for years to come," Esler said. "I call on you to recognize our potential while understanding our pain. Success is in the eyes of every child and in the hands of every teacher. We, the public education team, are doing all that we can to make a difference. You can too."

Graupman, who teaches a variety of subjects, spoke to the committee about her experiences as a teacher, beginning with her initial choice to enter the field. She said that when she made this decision, many of her peers and teachers tried to discourage her from it.

"Each day, my job is to pour all of my energy into engaging and empowering kids," Graupman said. "Despite what others told me, I've found that teaching is never boring."

Graupman ended her testimony by echoing Esler and his call for the Legislature to act and support public education.

"I believe that Idaho students need and deserve the best educators, and Idaho educators need your support," Graupman said. "The education an Idaho student receives should not be dependent on whether they live in Priest River or Pocatello, Soda Springs or Coeur d'Alene. All Idaho students deserve the best possible education and we need to send the message that Idaho supports its students, teachers and schools."