Idaho public education facing huge budget cuts

Governor Little is looking to cut $99 million from public education next year.

DOLLARS.... THAT'SHOW MUCH MONEYTHE GOVERNOR ISLOOKING TO CUTFROM PUBLICEDUCATION NEXTYEAR.BACK IN MARCH,GOVERNOR LITTLEASKED STATEAGENCIES TO BRACEFOR A FIVE PERCENTBUDGET REDUCTIONBECAUSE OF THECOVIC-19 PANDEMIC.NOW, SCHOOLS WILLFACE THAT SAMEBURDEN...WHICHTRANSLATES TO ALOSS OF CLOSE TO100-MILLION DOLLARSFOR K-12 EDUCATION." THE APRIL REVENUEFIGURES ARE DOWNSIGNIFICANTLY FROMWHAT WASPROJECTED BEFORETHE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK.

A HUGEDROP OFF IN TAXCOLLECTIONSBETWEEN INCOMETAXES AND SALESTAXES.

THAT'S THECRUX OF WHERE THESTATE GETS ITSMONEY FOREDUCATION.

ITCOMES FROMINCOME TAXES AND ITCOMES FROM SALESTAXES AND WHENTHOSE TAXCOLLECTIONS AREDOWN, WELL GUESSWHAT YOU AREGOING TO HAVE TOCUT THE EDUCATIONBUDGET.

NOW HOWMUCH THEY'LL HAVETO CUT?

HOW BAD ISTHE REVENUE DROPOFF?

WE STILL DON'TKNOW YET."SOME OF THE LINEITEMS IN THEGOVERNOR'S PLANINCLUDE FREEZINGTEACHER SALARIESON THE STATE'SCAREER LADDER ANDSUSPENDING RAISESFORADMINISTRATORSAND CLASSIFIEDSTAFF.LITTLE SAYS HISGOAL IS TO ENSUREBUDGETREDUCTIONS AREIMPLEMENTED IN THELEAST DISRUPTIVEWAY FOR STUDENTSAND EDUCATORS.IDAHO PUBLICSCHOOLS WILLRECEIVE 43 MILLIONDOLLARS IN FEDERALFUNDING FROM THECARES ACT.THAT 5 PERCENTSTATE BUDGET CUT ISALSO AFFECTINGIDAHO'S COLLEGESAND UNIVERSITIES.THE UNIVERSITY OFIDAHO IS NOWCONSIDERING THREEDAYS OF MANDATORYFURLOUGH FOR ALLEMPLOYEES.THOSE MAKINGHIGHER SALARIESWOULD BE REQUIREDTO TAKE ADDITIONALDAYS.AS IDAHO NEWS 6HAS REPORTED,BOISE STATE HASALREADYIMPLEMENTEDFURLOUGHS ANDWILL NO LONGEROFFER CONTRACTSTO SALARIEDEMPLOYEES.AND THE CUTSCOULD RUN MUCHDEEPER FOR HIGHEREDUCATION IFENROLLMENTPLUNGES THIS FALL.