BOISE, Idaho – Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra filed budget requests Wednesday aimed to enhance school safety and increased financial support for teachers.

The budget requests include $19.1 million for supplemental funding to address safety needs in the current school year and an $80.7 million investment in improving teacher pay in 2019-20, according to a news release issued on Wednesday.

“Today’s budgets include strategic investments in critical areas: safety for our more than 300,000 public school students and the Career Ladder for our more than 17,700 educators,” Ybarra said in the prepared statement. “I appreciate the Legislature’s commitment to our students and our teachers, and these requests continue the momentum of our work together to support schools and students to achieve.”

View the full news release and financial numbers here. Some highlights include:

  • $7.4 million increase for operations funds earmarked for health insurance increase
  • $7.4 million increase for operation funds for discretionary use by districts
  • $3 million increase for Advanced Opportunities
  • $2 million increase for professional development
  • $3 million increase for classroom technology
  • $1.4 million increase to support the expansion of mastery education
  • $6 million for second-year support for the Keep Idaho Students Safe Initiative.

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