Local NewsAugust 19, 1993

Michael R. Wickline

The Idaho court battle about the adequacy of state financing for public schools is raging out of control, the chairman of the Senate Education Comittee said Wednesday in Lewiston.

And John D. Hansen, a moderate Idaho Falls Republican, said it will be difficult to resolve the bitter dispute during next year's legislative session because it will be an election year.

But he suggested the colleges of education at Idaho's higher education institutions could help the courts set a better standard for a thorough education than the Idaho Board of Education's rules and regulations for public schools.

''It's your problem, too,'' Hansen told about 75 faculty members and administrators attending a luncheon at Lewis-Clark State College.

A counterclaim filed against the school districts in the suit is ''ill-conceived,'' he said. Last week, Republican legislative leaders said they support the counterclaim that contends the districts must do everything they can to meet the education board's standards before looking to the state for more money.

''It's getting, in my opinion, out of control,'' Hansen said.

He said he was astonished and disappointed when his barber told him earlier Wednesday that people ''are sure happy'' about the counterclaim the Legislature has filed against the school districts.

''There is a perception not based on good information,'' Hansen said. ''... Right or wrong, perception can become reality.''

Fourth District Judge Gerald Schroeder of Boise has given the Legislature next year's session to develop an out-of-court settlement with the roughly four dozen districts in the suit before scheduling a trial date. Gov. Cecil D. Andrus and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jerry Evans have appointed a working group to determine what is required to provide the thorough education guaranteed under the Cconstitution.

Hansen contended the state's public schools and higher education

institutions aren't adequately financed, despite the state's

well-performing economy.

That's because a growing share of the state budget is going to

cover skyrocketing health and welfare and corrections costs, he said.

And those budget priorities are misguided because only a quality

education system can solve social problems, and that costs some

money, he said.

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Idaho's higher education institutions have done a good job, he

said, but they can perform better in several areas.

Hansen said colleges should expect higher achievement levels and

do better in career counseling. Colleges also should survey students

and their employers a few years after graduation.

He said colleges should inform the public schools of their

students' academic deficiencies, so these weak spots are addressed

earlier.

Admission standards should be raised because Idaho's higher

education institutions are spending too much money on remedial

programs, he said.

But a few of LCSC's faculty members challenged Hansen, saying LCSC

is the only place for middle-aged loggers and housewives to pick up

skills they didn't learn in public schools. A significant part of the

college's enrollment is middle-aged folks looking to improve their

lot in life.

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