Kevin’s blog

From cursive handwriting to a bill to hire more math and science teachers, it was a busy Monday on the legislative front. Here’s a briefing.

The Idaho Farm Bureau says a bill to tighten the state’s initiative and referendum process has nothing to do with the voters’ rejection of the Students Come First laws.

What’s on the agenda on the education front this week? Plenty. Here’s a rundown of the highlights.

A bill to provide charter schools $1.4 million in building stipends will get a hearing shortly. Here are some of the initial reactions.

Repealing $141 million in business personal property taxes would affect all local governments. But public schools could be the biggest loser, says Michael Ferguson, a former state economist.

The $22 million complex will be named in honor of Gene Bleymaier, who was Boise State University’s athletic director for nearly three decades before his 2011 firing.

The Idaho Farm Bureau and a key senator want to tighten Idaho’s initiative and referendum process. Democrats say the bill would make it more difficult for voters to throw out laws — as they did last November.

Voting along party lines, the Senate Education Committee endorsed a plan that would, once again, eliminate an early retirement plan for teachers.

The news comes as Idaho lawmakers are likely to once again debate charter school funding issues.