2010 Response

2010 Idaho Education Association Response

Jeremy P. Boggess

Idaho State Senate District 4

P.O. Box 3065

Coeur d' Alene, ID  83816

JBOGGESS@BOSSIG.COM

(208) 651-7876

06/13/10

1)     Yes, I strongly agree we need to reduce the student to teacher ratio.

2)   Yes, I strongly agree staff needs to be properly trained; those students that need extra help should be able to get it. We also need to have the proper tests to ensure standards are being meet. However, instead of a few tests per year, I believe monthly evaluations would tell more. We need to make sure our students are able to compete not only in local markets, but on the economic global market as well.

3)     Yes, I strongly agree we need to invest time, effort and resources in new teachers entering the work field.  However, we need to make sure that the proper teachers are doing the mentoring.

4 & 5) Yes, I strongly agree that all teachers, (whether starting out or veterans), in Idaho deserve at least an average salary equal to national standards and in relation to standard of living and inflation. I believe that our teachers in Idaho are underpaid and deserve an increase in pay. But, with increase pay, comes increase standards.

6)      Yes, I agree the state needs to fund and recognize accomplishments of educators who attain National Board Certification. If we want quality educators, we need to provide the resources to help them become accomplished. Yes, I agree we need to reward employees that go beyond their peers and offer them the resources to do so. But, I also believe there are limits of reward for doing their job

7)      Yes, I strongly agree that support staffs deserve a ‘living wage’ and are likely underpaid. There are many areas in our schools where (for the most part), support staff is inadequate. First we need to find those areas where staff can be shifted. I am not trained on where support staff is short, needs relocated, or where new staff needs to be hired. I do believe this needs to be examined by those that know what they’re doing and not just corrected on paper by “paper pushers”. It seems the only time this ever ‘comes up’ is when it’s critical and we need immediate corrections. We need to make sure this area does not become critical in the future.

8a)   I strongly agree that any employees have the right to collective bargain.

8b)   I disagree: Some pay should be based on test scores that compare student entrance verses student exiting exams. When done correctly this can be crucial to the determination process. I also believe results based on only a few test results or tests alone can be deceptive.

8c)    I believe you can motivate employees by extra rewards for those who outperform. I also believe you need to release those employees that are failing to perform. My own experience in the Idaho Public School System has taught me there are many good teachers that are unfortunately pushed out of teaching for one reason or another, while there are some that are kept and should be let go, but kept simply because of tenure or office politics.

9)      I strongly agree that any money already invested (in whatever plan) needs to be honored in that original plan. I relate this to those reaching retirement ages in other professions where they find the IRA that they have been investing in for years, is gone. This is theft in my mind. Sometimes, finances dictate that employers change retirement packages from that point forward. However, any monies already accumulated for the previous packages need to be honored in those packages.

10)   I strongly agree with the bullet statements provided. But, I did not see background checks in this, since they are going to be around children.

11)   I agree that public funds raised exclusively for schools should be only spent in our schools. I do support partial credits. I have never, and will never support any mechanism that diminishes funding per student in public schools when in relation to funds involving non-public education.

12)   I agree: I have never supported any type of “Right-to-Work” type policies. I do agree that teachers need to set to a higher standard when it comes to work performance. I also agree that teachers should be rewarded for this extra effort. Any employer (public or private) should have the right to fire employees for poor job performance or violation of policies that are legally defendable. However, employees should also have the right to properly defend their performance and themselves. Employers do not have the right to let employees go for other than violation of policies or poor job performance related issues.

13)   Yes, it is true a significant portion of state budgeting is directed toward education. However, in relation to other states, we tend to rank low. Unfortunately, education tends to be a low priority in the legislation. There are many legislators down south, even though they would not admit it; do not believe in public education or the extent of its importance. We need to educate legislators and the general public. Education is a vital asset we need to invest in. Investing in education today helps contribute in solving a variety of social and economic problems of the future. Education is something that we have overlooked in the past, and we can no longer afford to overlook it.

14)   Three priorities that I will be working on for public education:

• Help encourage and give students the ability to learn beyond High School. There is not a single solution to this problem. Examples included: Educating people on how important this is, Giving more access to students for continued education, Preparing them for continued education, and many more.

• Encourage outside investment and partnerships with private business for both academic and hands-on-training.

• Some say the economy is recovering, but there are more that say this last month was just a good time in the year. When it comes to the State Budget; it’s not a matter of if cut, but when and where in the entire budget. Yes, it is true we may be looking at more cuts in the State Budget across the board, but I will work to reduce the amount of cuts in the education budget. If the economy recovers I will work to prevent those cuts and possibly invest more into education.

Sincerely,

Jeremy P. Boggess

This response was originally printed on: Paper made by Idaho headquartered company; Chlorine compound and acid-free; 100% recycled postconsumer content

2008 Response

1.  Strongly Agree - It is important that students get the best individual attention that we can give them not only to catch “at risk children” but also help children and young adults explore potential or areas that they may not know they have. 

 2.  Strongly Agree - I would like to see additional abilities/opportunities for class accreditation for high school and college students who provide mentoring or assistance to others.

 3.  Strongly Agree - I agree that we have a serious problem in recruiting and retaining quality educators in Idaho.

 4.  Strongly Agree - If we are truly interested in investing and preparing future generations for the world of tomorrow we need to start with those who are responsible for their training.

 5.  Strongly Agree - It is unfortunate that often the best and brightest of our society find that they are financially unable to share their specific special talents with others in educating.

 6.  Mixed - I support those who wish to educate their children privately, parochial, charter or by home school. It is just as important that we do not diminish funding per student in the public school system for those parents who do not have that ability. What a parent perceives as a more beneficial education is every parent’s responsibility, however this process cannot diminish other childrens educational opportunity funding per student.

 7.  Mixed - We need to have a system that rewards those exceptional instructors and administrators while at the same time have the ability to replace those who are incompetent, ineffective or detrimental to the learning process. I do not believe teacher pay system should be biased solely on a couple of so called ‘tell all tests’ but, there also needs to be accountability with some sort of possibly monthly progress assessments.

 8.  Strongly Agree - It is obvious that anyone that reaches retirement age and has devoted half of their life to teaching future generations, should be rewarded for that service.

 9.  Agree - I am not a fan of any ‘Right-to-Work’ policies. We need to make sure that if a teacher is released or not renewed it is because of incompetency or inappropriateness, not because of personal vendetta, personal views or just simply of ‘low-balling’ contracts. Our childrens’ future cannot afford to be ‘low-balled.’ However, schools also need to be assured that incompetency, ineffective or detrimental instructors can be terminated without reprisal.

 10. Strongly Agree - I get very nervous when sub-contractors replace full or part-time staff in our schools. They do not pay attention to as much detail as direct staff. There are those occasions where sub-contractors are placed around our children without strict background checks. I do believe probationary periods for some occupations. Care of our children should not necessarily go to the cheapest.

 12. Funding of education/economic opportunities is one of my top three priorities for the state. If we want future generations to be competitive in the world market of tomorrow we need to provide them with those opportunities.

 13.  Three areas that I am personally most passionate about: 

·  Funding and creating additional higher education opportunities whether they are ‘academic’ or ‘hands-on’ training.

·  Give cities and counties the ability to vote on imposing impact fees for schools instead of burdening existing property tax payers.

·  Safe schools and routes from those who would do them harm.

For additional information I have attached a copy of educational views directly from my web site WWW.JEREMY4IDAHO.COM