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Idaho Education Budget Proposals<br>
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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.idahoednews.org/news/key-education-groups-praise-ybarras-budget-proposal/">http://www.idahoednews.org/news/key-education-groups-praise-ybarras-budget-proposal/</a>
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On Sept. 2, <a
href="http://www.idahoednews.org/news/ybarra-seeks-110-million-budget-boost-for-k-12/#.VgMTuLTI5VI">Ybarra
released her 2016-17 public school budget proposal</a>, which
calls for increasing K-12 spending by 7.5 percent, or an additional
$110 million more than this year. Ybarra’s budget would also
increase funding for teacher pay and restore school districts’
operational funding (sometimes called discretionary funding in state
government lingo) to pre-recession levels reached in 2009. (Click
the highlighted text at the end of this sentence for a spreadsheet
containing <a
href="http://idahoednews.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/FY17-Public-Schools-Budget-9.2.2015.pdf">Ybarra’s
2016-17 budget proposal</a>).<br>
<p>For next year, Ybarra is seeking a slightly larger funding boost
than the one lawmakers approved for the current year, when they
increased public school spending by <a
href="http://www.idahoednews.org/news/house-quickly-approves-7-4-percent-increase-in-school-funding/#.VgMWFLTI5VI">7.4
percent, or $101.2 million</a>. <br>
</p>
<p>Idaho Education Association President Penni Cyr said teachers are
“very excited about the budget” because of the recommended
spending increase and the second installment of funding for the
career ladder teacher salary program approved by the 2015
Legislature.</p>
<p>“What is significant is Superintendent Ybarra recognizes the
Legislature’s Constitutional obligation to fully fund public
education,” Cyr said. “Her request goes a long way toward that
mandate.”</p>
<p>Ybarra’s budget proposal would return the state to 2009
operations funding levels, but does not account for inflation or
any increased costs districts absorbed, Cyr said. Nevertheless,
Cyr called it “a great start in the right direction.”</p>
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<b>Ken<br>
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