[Vision2020] Superintendent says 'doomsday' not coming

[Tom Hansen]

"After canceling a bidding process in June for lack of competitive bids, the state is now negotiating with up to a half-dozen potential providers of the computers, with hopes of picking one in the coming weeks. At stake is an eight-year contract worth more than $100 million, under which the provider would supply and maintain laptops for every Idaho high school student, provide technical support, and set up and maintain wireless networks in Idaho high schools."

- Spokesman-Review - October 18, 2012


Courtesy of today's (October 18, 2012) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Superintendent says 'doomsday' not coming
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna came to speak at an event hosted by the University of Idaho College Republicans on Wednesday night, and used the opportunity to defend the Students Come First laws, which are being challenged at the polls in November.
Propositions 1, 2 and 3 would limit teachers collective bargaining, institute merit pay bonuses, provide laptops to every high school student and require online learning for graduation.
Alexander Rowsen, vice president of the UI College Republicans, heard Luna speak at a previous event and organized an opportunity to bring him to campus.
"I was very impressed by his passion and knowledge of the issues," Rowsen said. "Education in this state should be a very important issue to all Idahoans, and I hope we get all different types of people to come learn about it."
Luna responded to hesitation from an audience of more than 100, a few of whom were wearing "No on Props 1, 2, 3" buttons, by saying Idaho is behind the curve in education reform, particularly in technology.
"Don't let anybody tell you that schools don't want this, that teachers don't see the value in it and that students don't need this," Luna said of the use of online learning and laptops in classrooms. "These are the 21st century learning tools we need to get into every classroom."
Luna did recognize that online learning is in need of improvement, which will come in the form of an online portal where students and teachers can evaluate courses.
"Online and distance learning are not going away. We have to look at increasing the quality," he said. "We are going to make sure that before a class is ever offered it has to meet the standards and has to be taught by an Idaho certified teacher."
Luna also claimed the rumor that instructors teaching on the Idaho Digital Learning Academy were not Idaho teachers was false and blamed much of the push-back from educators across the state on bad information.
"I can go through list after list after list of the misinformation that has been put out there about these laws, and I'm not surprised," he said. "What's happening now with pay for performance is that teachers across the state are finding out the things they've been told aren't true."
Luna gave examples of misinformation such as the merit bonuses resulting in pay cuts and computers replacing teachers.
"Time is going to prove the doomsday scenario that was painted by the opposition just hasn't materialized. There's not a crater where there used to be a school," he said.
Luna also explained teachers within the same school would not be competing for bonuses because merit pay based on student performance would be distributed to an entire school as opposed to individuals. The doomsday scenarios are more likely to come if the propositions are voted down, he said.
"If you want to see disruption and chaos we can see all the things that will change if these laws will go away because of the impact that will have on school funding," said Luna, adding $40 million of funding for districts would go away, possibly including the merit bonuses teachers should receive in November.
A major criticism Luna has received for the laws is that they took away the voice of Idaho teachers.
"I've started hearing this recently, and I don't know where it's coming from," Luna said. "The argument that somehow we are limiting the opportunity for teachers to speak up on behalf of students is just not true."
Luna said the laws open more doors for teachers and there has not been a circumstance where a teacher has been denied the opportunity to speak on behalf of students.
"It's not the perfect path and we need to make changes going forward, but the worst thing we can do is go back to where we were before because of the disruption it will cause in our schools and our districts and the opportunities that will be lost for students," he said.
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Seeya at the polls, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students.  The college students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


 
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