Here is an update regarding of some of the pieces of legislation the IEA has been following this session:
BILL # |
TOPIC |
WHAT DOES IT DO? |
WHERE IS IT? |
HB 379 | Teacher Awards | Would create a legislative teacher’s award (certificate and $500) to be presented annually in each legislative district. | Senate Ed |
HB 477 | Criminal History Checks | Would allow the SDE to charge individuals an additional $7.50 to cover the cost of fingerprinting. | House Education |
HB 501 | ESP Grievances | Amends ESP grievance law to itemize those issues which can be grieved and adds required problem-solving step. | To Governor |
HB 504 | Leadership Premiums | Would provide for leadership premium payments to public school educators who serve in a leadership capacity. | LAW |
HB 507 | Educational Tax Credits | Would provide tax credits to individuals and corporations that make donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) for students to attend private or parochial schools. | Senate Local Government and Taxation |
HB 521 | District Strategic Planning | Requires all school districts to create and post on their website, a strategic plan that focuses on improving student performance. The measure also provides up to $2,000 per district for training of school boards in strategic planning, governance, finance, ethics, and superintendent evaluation. | To Governor |
HB 556 | Teacher Evaluations | Requires student and parent input into teacher evaluations and increases, over time, the percentage of student achievement and reduces, over time, the percentage of professional practice that must be considered in teacher evaluations. | Senate Ed Committee |
HB 557 | Use It or Lose It | Provides mechanism for reducing flexibility on Use It or Lose It funding school districts have had for the past five years. | To Governor |
HB 567 | Parental Rights | Establishes parental rights and obligations for their children’s education | Senate Ed |
SB 1317 | Reduction in Force | Extends Sunset date to July 1, 2015 on law that seniority cannot be the only factor used when considering a reduction in force. | To Governor |
SB 1318 | Evergreen Clause | Extends Sunset date to July 1, 2015 on law that limits all contracts to one year with regard to salaries and benefits; all other portions of the agreement can be extended for no more than two years and also eliminates Fact Finding. | To Governor |
SB 1319 | Reduction of Days/Salaries | Extends Sunset date to July 1, 2015 on law giving the local school board sole authority to reduce or increase contract days and/or reduce or increase the salary of employees for any reason or no reason whatsoever and further deny an individual due process hearing for affected employees. | To Governor |
SB 1326 | Class Size Reporting | Requires the SDE to collect and report data on class size and pupil-teacher ratios. | To Governor |
SB 1327 | Life-Threatening Allergies in Schools | Authorizes schools to voluntarily train staff, provide guidelines for the use of, and maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors for use in situations where students or staff may be suffering a life-threatening allergic reaction. | To Governor |
SB 1232 | School Bus Driver Immunity | Amends law to shield a school bus driver from civil or criminal liability in the event he or she comes to the aid of a rider who may be in danger | House 3rd Reading Calendar |
SB 1342 | District Court Appeals | Amends law to allow districts to augment the record for on an appeal to the District Court in teacher dismissal cases | House 3rd Reading Calendar |
SB 1343 | Curriculum and Testing | Would require that the legislature ratify in law, any agreement between the SBE or the SDE and any multistate consortium or the federal government concerning testing or K-12 students. | Senate Ed |
SB 1372 | Data Collection | Outlines the types of data public schools may collect and limits the use and distribution of that data. | House 2nd Reading Calendar |
SB 1377 | Website Reporting | Clarifies that local school districts, not the state, adopt curricular materials. | To Governor |
SB 1396 | Assessment Item Review Committee | Creates a 30-member committee of parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, SDE, SBE to review SBAC test items for social engineering and assures Idaho “maintains its sovereignty with respect to education of our children.” | House Education Committee |