Kevin’s blog
More details, tidbits on the WiFi contract
How many schools are eligible to get WiFi service, under a controversial state contract? What’s the timetable? And how were bids graded? Answers to these questions — and a few more.
The WiFi contract: a Friday roundup
Did the state pass over a lower bid on the WiFi contract? How many high schools want to hook up with the state’s service? And what are Tom Luna’s political foes saying about the deal? Read on for answers.
The WiFi contractor’s election money trail
Education Networks of America has contributed money to a virtual who’s who list of Statehouse political figures. Here’s a detailed breakdown.
Lawmakers blast multiyear wireless deal
State superintendent Tom Luna will award the 15-year high school campus WiFi contract on Wednesday, Betsy Russell of the Spokane Spokesman-Review reported Tuesday. Key legislators say they never signed off on a multiyear deal.
Huffington Post: Labrador eyes run for governor
Citing an unnamed source, a Huffington Post writer strongly suggests Rep. Raul Labrador will leave Congress to oppose Gov. Butch Otter in the 2014 GOP primary. Labrador still isn’t talking.
Closing a charter: boon or burden?
If the Meridian School District decides to close North Star Charter School, some $4 million of funding is up for grabs. What happens to the money? The answer hinges on timing.
Labrador, Simpson back reversal of NCLB
The bill to reverse much of the 2002 No Child Left Behind law passed the House on nearly a party-line vote. It faces an uncertain future in the Senate, and President Obama has threatened a veto.
Special education lawsuit heads to trial
Did the Boise and Meridian school districts fail a teen-ager with Asberger’s syndrome? That’s the crux of a case that opened this week in U.S. District Court.
NEA confirms drop in membership
According to numbers presented at a National Education Association conference this month, union membership is down nationally, and in almost every state. In Idaho, the one-year drop was 14.3 percent.
Task force members discuss career ladder
The plan would increase starting teacher pay to $40,000, boost pay at the top end of the salary schedule, and provide leadership awards to teachers. The cost: $35 million to $43 million per year.