Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25

1. Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25

2. History of the Area • Shoshone and Bannock tribes inhabited the area • 1805 Lewis and Clark travel through state • Fur trader and trappers inhabit area • 1834 Hudson Bay Company sets up first permanent settlement • Fort Hall is supply point along Oregon Trail • 1860 discovery of gold • 1882 Chief Pocatello grants the railroad right-of-way through Fort Hall Indian Reservation (Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce)

3. Pocatello and Chubbuck Today • 92% white • Largest minorities are Hispanic and American Indian at 5% and 1.5% • Pocatello population- 53,372 • Chubbuck population- 10,707 (US Census Bureau) • Both cities have a strong Mayor/ Council form of government • Top employers include • ISU, School District 25, Portneuf Medical Center, AMI Semiconductor, and UP Railroad (Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce)

4. Pocatello and Chubbuck Today cont.

5. A Far Cry from Athens • Voting age population of both municipalities 44,183 • Voting citizenry of Athens in 4th century BCE about 40,000 • Same number of eligible voters but very different levels of participation

6. Not too close to Saratoga Springs

7. School District 25 • Encompasses both Pocatello and Chubbuck • 14,000 students • 1,700 employees • 15 elementary schools, 3 junior highs, 2 alternative schools, 3 high schools • Also operates Teen Parent Program, and an Evening High School (Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce)

8. School District 25 • Governed by Board of Trustees • Elected from zones to represent zones’ interests • Elected to two year terms • Unlimited reelection • Decisions made by majority vote • Board selects superintendent

9. Responsibilities of Board • Set forth by the members of State House and Senate in the Idaho Code and include; • Setting and amending district policy • Determining long range direction of the district • Acting on recommendations on a variety of maters (from personnel to building maintenance) • Adopting an operating budget • Authorizing the spending of budgeted funds • Employing and evaluating the superintendent (Idaho Code Section 33-501)

10. Budget for School District 25 • Operated on a budget of over $66 million • Receives funds from federal, state, and local sources • 1. state funding 70.7% • 2. local funding 21.9% • 3. beginning balance 6.7% • 4. federal funding 0.6% (Annual Budget 2006-2007)

11. Inherent flaw in the system • State Senate and House set maximum tax rate for the School Board • School Board does not have authority to appropriate funds above Idaho Code allowances • Bryan says that for the survival of democracy the government must have some complete authority • The Board of Trustees does not have complete authority over the budget • The budget is the most important aspect of government • The district needs control over it to be effective

12. Fall 2005- Teachers ask for 1% raise and previously promised early retirement benefit Board rejects Teacher believe board failed to give accurate accounting of budget They ask for 3% pay increase and the early retirement benefit Board ends negotiation 700 teachers and staff petition board to mediate Board rejects and hires fact finder Teachers threaten to strike Fact finder recommends 1% raise, one time 2% bonus and early retirement benefit (Eike) Labor Struggle: Recap of Events

13. Labor Struggle cont. • 7 months into school year teachers settle contract • School board promises to enact measures to prevent such a process in the future (Ziegler)

14. Why School Board is Ineffective • School Board is held responsible for the condition of the district but it can’t control budget • Trustees must petition Idaho legislators to increase money allotted to district (Ziegler) • District faces decline in state revenue • Decline in student enrollment over past 11 years • Opening of charter school • Cap on state property tax replacement monies • Increase in fixed costs (Dutton)

15. Board of Trustee Responsibilities, http://www.d25.k12.id.us/aboutus/link.shtml?board/board.htm (November 2006). D. Boyd, “A new beginning District 25, teachers reach deal”, http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2006/11/14/news/local/news02.txt..txt (November 2006). E. Ziegler, “District 25, resumes contract talks”, http://www.idahostatejournal.com/articles/2005/09/15/news/local/news03.txt (November 2006). E. Ziegler, “District 25 trustee OK contract with teachers”, http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2006/04/12/news/local/news03.txt (November 2006). F.J. Parrish, “A modest proposal for supporting our teachers”, http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/Journal_Opinion.php?id=216 (November 2006). Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce. Education, http://www.pocatelloidaho.com/Areainfo.asp?ID=23 (December 2006). History, http://www.villageprofile.com/idaho/pocatello103.main.html (December 2006). Pocatello / Chubbuck School District 25 Annual Budget 2006-2007, http://web1.d25.k12.id.us/home/bo/BUDGET2007.PDF (November 2006). Pocatello / Chubbuck School District 25 Board of Trustees Operating Principals, http://www.d25.k12.id.us/aboutus/operating_principles.pdf (November 2006). Pocatello / Chubbuck School District Strategic Plan, http://www.d25.k12.id.us/aboutus/strategic.pdf (November 2006). R.E, Dutton, Fact Finder’s Findings and Recommendations, http://web1.d25.k12.id.us/home/bo/CAFR2006.pdf (November 2006). R. Eike, “School Board needs to stop digging holes”, http://www.pocatelloshops.com/blogs/Journal_Opinion.php?id=279 (November 2006). School District No. 25 Board of Trustee Meeting Schedule 2006-2007,http://www.d25.k12.id.us/aboutus/link.shtml?board/board.htm (November 2006). Trustee Zones, http://www.d25.k12.id.us/aboutus/link.shtml?board/board.htm (November 2006). Works Cited