Rating: –1

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1095 makes extensive revisions to Idaho’s Career Ladder salary allocation system for public school instructional and pupil service staff. The bill modifies rules for placement and advancement within the three-tier system (Residency, Professional, and Advanced Professional) and ties movement between levels to professional evaluations and credential attainment.

The bill adjusts funding levels upward for each rung of the career ladder, adds new placement rules for Career Technical Education (CTE) instructors based on industry experience, and creates clearer guidelines for crediting out-of-state and private school experience. It also increases additional education bonuses for staff who complete extra coursework or obtain advanced degrees.

In addition, the bill introduces a new annual audit process for teacher evaluations, mandates administrator training on evaluation practices, and requires data reporting to verify compliance. The State Board of Education is tasked with oversight of these processes. An emergency clause enables the bill to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:

S1095 receives a negative rating because it represents a significant expansion of government spending and bureaucracy in Idaho’s public education system. While intended to refine teacher pay based on performance, the bill imposes centralized evaluation controls, removes flexibility from local school districts, and requires the state to engage in detailed audits and regulatory oversight. It increases salary funding levels without pairing that increase with broader education reform or improvements in student outcomes. The Idaho Republican Party Platform emphasizes local control, fiscal restraint, and limited government interference in education. S1095 moves in the opposite direction by increasing spending and administrative burden, and by embedding new state-level mandates into school personnel decisions. For these reasons, it earns a negative rating.