Thayn, presenting a bill to get students through high school more quickly, brought his daughter Carly to the House Education Committee Monday to talk about her success in using online courses to graduate early from high school.

The younger Thayn, a junior set to shave a year off her high school career, told members of the House Education Committee that motivation is critical in utilizing online courses. “If you have the will to do it, you can do it,” Carly Thayn said. “It’s not that hard.”

The elder Thayn’s bill, House Bill 426, helps students graduate early by paying for a share of summer school courses, taken either online or in class. The state would pay $225 per summer school course for each student and families would pitch in $75. If students do not perform well enough in the classes, the state support will end and families will be asked to pay the full class costs moving forward in the program.

The bill moves to the House floor after a unanimous vote of approval from committee members.

There was concern about how to pay for the program among committee members. The startup cost for what Thayn is calling the “8 in 6” program would be about $2.5 million, with the money going to pay for summer school courses for interested students.

But Thayn sees the costs as an investment, helping students take courses in high school and eventually requiring less state funding for college education. He estimates that the state could save as much as $14 million annually through the program.

He also believes families could save money because early graduation would mean students could stay at home and take dual enrollment courses instead of going off to college and incurring extra housing, food and tuition costs.

Taking dual enrollment course in high school could also boost Idaho’s rate of high school kids going to college. Some 46 percent of ordinary students go on to college or trade school after graduation, but that number is much higher for kids who utilize dual enrollment classes. Jason Hancock, a top state education agency aide, told committee members that about 80 percent of students who take dual enrollment classes in high school go on to college.

Hancock dubbed the dual enrollment courses as “rocket fuel” in the push to get more kids into college or trade school.

The younger Thayn didn’t address college, but did say her courses have made her a better learner and an independent thinker. “You don’t learn what your teacher needs you to learn, you learn what you need to learn,” she said.

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, supported the idea because it’s another way to get more students into college. “I appreciate your constant willingness to think outside the box and your creative approach,” said Cronin in referring to Rep. Thayn, though he believes the idea will need some refinement if it is implemented into law. “I think this is a good concept.”

Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, expressed similar sentiment. “I just hope we get the bugs worked out before it becomes law,” he said.

The hikes continue a trend of students paying more for their education as a share of the total cost.  Data shows that while state appropriations for higher education have been up and down in the last decade, hikes in student fees have been consistent.

GOP Rep. Linden Bateman of Idaho Falls told IdahoReporter.com Monday that students paying more for their college experience is only a product of a poor economy.  “The problem is that we have this bleak economy and we can’t ask taxpayers to come up with more,” Bateman said.  “The revenue is just not there.”

But Democratic Rep. Brian Cronin of Boise says the trend shows the state’s inability to commit to stable and adequate funding for colleges and universities.  “This latest tuition increase is a logical consequence of a decade-long disinvestment into higher education,” said Cronin. “I think it’s a significant problem.”

But shouldn’t those who use schools services pay for them?  Cronin says that an educated populace is good for the state and local communities.  “As a society, we have decided that’s something that benefits all of us and not just those who attend,” he explained.

Boise State University

Boise State University (BSU) asked for and received a 5 percent hike for tuition for undergrad tuition hikes, meaning those students will have to find an additional $266 for the 2011-2012 school year.  Tuition will jump from $5,300 this year to $5,566 next year.

Tuition at Boise State has risen steadily in the past decade and collectively students now pay about the same amount that the state does to fund education.

In 2001, the state appropriated $66 million for the school, about 75 percent of BSU’s total budget, and tuition made up $21.3 million, about 24 percent of the school’s budget.  In 2001, students paid $2,450 per year in tuition.

In 2011, the state appropriated $70.1 million for BSU, a total of 53 percent of the school’s budget.  Students paid $61 million, or about 47 percent of the school’s operating cost.

Lewis-Clark State College

Coming in with the lowest tuition for next year is Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC). Students at the school will pay $5,348 next year, up $350 from this year. The jump represents a 7 percent increase in tuition.

Like the other schools, tuition at LCSC in Lewiston has more than doubled in the last 10 years. In 2001, students at LCSC paid $2,360 in tuition for a full year.

And also like the other schools, students are paying a greater share of the total cost of college. In 2001, the state funded about 64 percent of LCSC, while student fees made up about 12 percent, with the rest coming from endowment funds. In 2011, however, the state’s share was just less than 50 percent, and student’s shouldered about 45 percent. About 5 percent of funds were derived from the normal endowment.

University of Idaho

With its approved 8.4 increase, the University of Idaho will become the most expensive public school for undergrads next year.  Students at the school will need an additional $454 next year, bringing the total yearly tuition to $5,856.  This year, students paid $5,402.

Like BSU, the University of Idaho has more than doubled its tuition for students since 2001, when the school charged $2,476 per academic year.

Idaho State University

A smaller tuition increase request brings Idaho State University (ISU) in as the second most-expensive public university in the state.  The school received a 7 percent increase, which will bring tuition next year to $5,796, up $380 from this year’s rate.

Through the last decade, tuition at ISU has more than doubled.  In 2001, students attending the Pocatello school paid $2,578 in tuition for the year.

Note: Cost-share data was not available for ISU or the University of Idaho by deadline.

“Some have called this session historic,” said Senate Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. “The Civil War was historic, too, but not in a way anyone will recall fondly.”

Rusche was especially critical of budgeting decisions by Republicans in power, who rejected calls from Democrats to raise the tobacco tax and not reduce funding for Medicaid or state universities. Rusche said Republicans used absolute power in passing the budget and the rest of what he called an extremist agenda.

When asked, Rusche did say that a few good things came out of the session, including changes to the Catastrophic Health Care Fund and a tax credit for employers that add workers. That tax credit was backed by Gov. Butch Otter.

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, said the party in power didn’t do enough to help the state’s economic situation.

Cronin listed changes to urban renewal agencies, reductions to higher education, and efforts to nullify federal laws as policy that could impact the state economy.

Cronin said that he appreciated the amount of public participation in the legislative session, as hundreds of people turned up for several hearings on education and Medicaid, but said those people’s voices weren’t always heard. He added that he expects such participation in the future if Republicans continue bringing forward the same kind of legislation.

Legislators voted 44-24 to approve the transfer of funds.  Several Republicans joined all 13 House Democrats in opposing the move. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Butch Otter for his consideration.

The GOP sued the state because it felt that primary elections should be closed and that parties are private entities that should enjoy the right to decide who votes in party-only contests.  The case was decided earlier this year, with the ruling coming in favor of the GOP position.

Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, defended the payment, saying that the Legislature should have allowed closed-primaries several years ago and that the money is simply the cost of delayed action. “This could’ve been very easily resolved by the parties that be,” said Loertscher.  “Government caused the problem.”

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, countered Loertscher, noting that Republicans have owned large majorities in both chambers of the Idaho Capitol for several years. “This was a problem that originated in the Idaho Republican Party and could have been settled by the Idaho Republican Party,” said Cronin.  “I am incredulous we are even here debating this bill.”

The money will come out of the secretary of state’s budget.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, announced Monday that the minority party will let just the titles of legislation be read aloud on the floor, which is the normal practice. Democrats had been requiring full reading in an effort to get a print hearing on legislation to raise the cigarette tax and create a statewide referendum asking voters if they approve of education reforms backed by state schools superintendent Tom Luna.

“We will protest loud and long … the actions of the Legislature and the radical changes that have been made,” Rusche said during a news conference Monday. He accused Republicans of not listening to the public on the school reforms and tobacco tax, but said the best course of action now is to finish the legislative session. “Let’s get out of town before they can do any more harm.”

Many lawmakers are saying the session could end by this Friday, April 8. “It is hopefully the last several days of the legislative session,” Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, said at the beginning of the Senate session Monday.

Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, said that lawmakers tied the 10th longest session in state history Monday. Two years ago, lawmakers were in session for 117 days, while in 2003 the legislative session lasted 118 days.

Democrats are holding an informal hearing Monday afternoon on increasing the tobacco tax. The House sponsor of the measure, House Revenue and Taxation Committee Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, has said he won’t hold a full hearing on the measure. Rusche said raising the tobacco tax could discourage smoking and bring in additional revenue, potent

During the Democrats’ news conference, Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, said Democrats shouldn’t be accused of wasting time since Republicans wasted hours and days on legislation he characterized as grandstanding, which included plans to nullify federal health care laws, allow guns on college campuses, and repealing the 17th Amendment.

“The reason we are still here today, the 85th day of the legislativesession, is because the Republicans don’t want the shenanigans to end,” Cronin said.

The bill was pulled back from the floor into committee last Friday by Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, one of the co-chairs of the panel.  Bell told IdahoReporter.com that she felt she didn’t have enough votes in the House to pass the legislation.

Several members of the House believed that the state shouldn’t accept federal money because it might come with strings attached.  The new bill still calls for research of health insurance exchanges, but $500,000 in dedicated funds will be used for the project.

The vote on the measure came immediately after lawmakers approved a bill to prevent the state from implementing discretionary provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, said it is odd that the House would stand against the PPACA in one vote and support a part of the act in another.  “It just doesn’t make any sense to me to do that,” said Rusche.

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, said not taking federal money to develop the exchanges is “utterly foolish.”

The measure passed 53-15.  GOP Reps. Tom Trail of Moscow and Dick Hardwood of St. Maries joined all 13 House Democrats in opposition to the measure.

They follow through on the threat Wednesday by forcing the reading House Bill 310, a measure that relates to health care of the indigent. The bill is 25 pages in length.  Democrats used this tactic earlier this year to force reading of one of the education reform bills, which was also 25 pages.  That bill took an hour to read.

Rusche has crafted his own version of the bill, which would hike the tax by $1.25 per pack to $1.82.  The fiscal note on the legislation says it could generate as much as $50 million annually in new revenue for the state.

Rusche said that the money could be used to shore up funding for public education, which saw a $47 million reduction approved by the budget committee earlier this week.  “We are obligated to have a conversation about legislation that could potentially raise $50 million for the state,” Rusche said Tuesday.  “Such a policy is the fiscally-responsible thing to do.”

Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, intended to bring a similar measure this year, but abandoned the effort because he felt he doesn’t have the votes to get the measure through the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

This could be costly for Democrats and the state.  The legislative session costs about $30,000 per day in staffing and travel and housing expenses for legislators.

11:00 a.m. Reading begins. Clerk decides to skip bill explanation and Rusche objects.  The speaker rules that the Idaho Constitution says clerk can skip it. Reading begins again.

11:07 a.m: Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, just moved to end reading of the bill, but Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, objected.  The reading continues.

12:01 p.m.: Reading has ended.  During debate on the bill, Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, was asked to yield to a question about the measure, but he declined to do so. That is likely the first time that has happened all year.

House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, adjourned the House until 3:30 p.m. today.  He also said that lawmakers should be ready to work Saturday if Democrats continue to force reading of all bills.

3:30 p.m.: The House has convened again.  One bill was allowed voted on without full reading, but House Bill 140aaS, a seven-page measure relating to juvenile corrections, is now being read by the chief clerk of the House.  The floor sponsor of the bill Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, did not ask to skip reading, though Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, did make that request.  Rusche objected, so the bill was read at length.

3:53 p.m.: Rusche has objected to skipping reading of House Bill 183aa.  The measure is 14 pages long.  The floor sponsor is Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett.

4:24 p.m.: The chief clerk has finished reading and debate is open.

4:28 p.m.: The House moved to consider bills on the second reading calendar. Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, asked to skip reading of House Bill 298, a measure voicing opposition to the 2010 health care reforms.  Rusche again objected and an assistant to the chief clerk is now reading the legislation.

4:38 p.m.: The assistant clerk has finished reading and debate is open.  Barbieri declined to yield to a question asked by Rusche during debate.

5:34 p.m.: Rusche objected to reading of House Bill 328, a measure relating to public records requests. The bill is six pages.

Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, sought to bring a bill to hike the cigarette tax prior to the session, but has since abandoned the effort because he felt it wouldn’t have enough votes to gain passage.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, has crafted his own version of the bill, which would hike the tax by $1.25 per pack to $1.82.  The fiscal note on the legislation says it could generate as much as $50 million annually in new revenue for the state.

Rusche said that the money could be used to shore up funding for public education, which saw a $47 million reduction approved by the budget committee earlier this week.  “We are obligated to have a conversation about legislation that could potentially raise $50 million for the state,” said Rusche.  “Such a policy is the fiscally-responsible thing to do.”

House Minority Caucus Chair Brian Cronin, D-Boise, said Democrats will employ necessary tactics to bring attention to the issue.  “If the majority party cannot honor our request … we will in turn use whatever available means to force discussion of these issues,” said Cronin.  “We believe this is what our constituents sent us here to do.”

The Democratic leadership team did not offer specifics on what they might do, but they said they will work to exert grassroots political pressure on the majority party and utilize House rules and procedures to delay legislative work.  “We’ll use whatever we can at the appropriate time,” said Rusche.

Because Democrats hold such a small minority in the House, they are limited in their options for stalling.  They can, however, object to skipping reading of bills, which means that legislation must be read in total on the floor before debate and votes.

That can be a timely endeavor.  Democrats forced reading of an education reform bill earlier this year.  The legislation, at 25 pages in length, took about an hour to read.  The House has at least 34 bills awaiting floor hearings, not counting bills still in committees.

This could be a pricy move for Democrats and the state.  The legislative session costs about $30,000 a day in staffing and travel and housing expenses for legislators.  Cronin said hearing the bills is significant enough to be worthy of the potential costs. “We think it’s important enough … to hear those issues and have a full debate,” Cronin explained.  “If we need to add a few days to the legislative session, then so be it.”

GOP leadership has said that Rusche’s bill will not receive a hearing this year.

It is possible that House leadership could force legislators to meet weekends to hasten the end of work, but Majority Caucus Chair Rep. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, doesn’t want to see that happen.  “Hopefully we won’t get to that point,” said Roberts.

Democrats are also asking for the Legislature to put an advisory vote on three education reform bills passed earlier this year on the ballot in 2012.  An advisory vote would gauge support for the bills.   GOP leadership has said that bill will also not receive a hearing.

Panel members voted 12-6 to pass Senate Bill 1184, the third of three bills sponsored by Luna.  The other two bills – one implementing merit pay and another dealing with employment privileges in Idaho – have already passed the House and Senate and have been signed by Gov. Butch Otter.

The measure is a scaled-back version of an earlier bill that would have mandated high school students take four online classes through secondary education and would have also given all ninth graders laptops.

The new measure, which came after many stakeholder meetings, still moves the Gem State toward more technology in the classrooms, but does not outline exactly how to get there.  The bill creates a 27-member stakeholder task force to evaluate the course Idaho should take in online learning and technology in the classroom.  The plan would still give high school students laptops starting in fall of 2015.

Teachers would also receive new technology devices and training to integrate it into lesson plans.

The plan could be funded by salary reductions for teachers through the next five years. The measure would also grant more flexibility to districts to increase class sizes and cut teaching positions.

Districts would also be required to submit fiscal report cards annually for the state and parents.  Luna and his team are not sure exactly what will be shown on the reports, but say they may include dollar amounts dedicated to administration, teacher, and ancillary positions, among other things.

Luna told committee members that the changes are necessary in a world of slumping tax revenues.  “We must make sure that our public education system is sustainable, both academically and fiscally,” Luna explained.  “It’s clear this is the new normal in our economy.”

The superintendent also said that technology with help teachers do more with fewer classroom resources and will help enhance the learning experience for students.

Several stakeholders testified against the plan, but none as with as much pointed criticism as Sherri Wood, head of the Idaho Education Association.  Wood told lawmakers that the bill will replace teachers with computers and will not attract great educators to the Gem State.

Karen Echeverria, head of the Idaho School Boards Association, said that her group could not back a bill that she says will eventually lead to cuts in teachers’ benefits or salaries.

Before voting, one member of the committee who supported the other two pieces of Luna’s plan, Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, blasted the plan, saying that technology will only lead to less human interaction among students.  He also said that pupils need not have more technology in the classroom to be able to learn how to navigate computers effectively.  “It’s wonderful but we don’t have to have legislation to have ducks quack,” said Bateman of technology and how naturally it will come to teens.

Many stakeholders have urged lawmakers to slow down and take a year or more to study the education reform plan before passing it.  Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, said that Idaho has moved toward digital education in recent years and that the bill is a natural evolution in that effort.  “We’ve been working toward this for over a decade,” said Shirley.  “To me, this isn’t startling at all.”

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, ripped the plan, saying that more computers in the classroom will not necessarily create an improved education experience.  He said that “any monkey” could find information on the Internet, but that a true education requires more than web searches.  “It’s what you do with that information once you have it,” he explained.

Rep. Steve Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, said that bill could lead to fewer educators in the Gem State, but that remaining teachers “will be better and more effective the teacher corps we have today.”

Rep. Sue Chew, D-Boise, attempted to send the bill the House amending order, but that motion failed.  The bill now heads to the House for consideration and it’s likely legislators will take up the plan Thursday or Friday.

The federal money is from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), a health care reform measure passed by the U.S. Congress in March of 2010.  The funds would have gone to develop a state-based health insurance exchange, which could still happen without the money, or so says JFAC co-chair Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome.

Bell, who asked to bring the appropriation back to committee, said that lawmakers aren’t necessarily opposed to the idea of forming health exchanges, but many are uncomfortable with using federal money to create them. “I don’t think we are against this activity, I think we are trying to find a different path to it,” said Bell, who said that the Department of Insurance likely has funding available somewhere within its budget to fund creation of exchanges.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, objected to the move, saying that Idaho should take the money to set up an exchange that would be tailored to the needs of Gem State citizens.  Rusche said that by voting to send the bill back to committee shows that legislators are “willing to throw away a method of asserting Idaho individuality.”

If Idaho doesn’t take the money and set up its own exchange, the minority leader argued, the federal government will step in and impose its will on the state.  “We will have no say,” said Rusche.

House Minority Caucus Chair Brian Cronin, D-Boise, issued the same warning as Rusche.  “We run the risk … of having a solution that would be developed at the federal level and imposed upon us a few years down the road,” said Cronin.

He also disputed Bell’s claim that the state can fund creation of its own exchange.  “We can turn over every rock and it’s not going to be there,” Cronin argued.  “This is a good expense.”

The floor sponsor of the appropriation, Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley, told IdahoReporter.com that it’s likely the measure would have failed on the floor if given a vote.  “There’s not the votes to take the Obamacare money,” said Wood, using a common term for the PPACA. “It’s as simple as that.”

Wood and Bell have confirmed that JFAC will take up the bill Monday.