House and Senate leaders shepherded legislation through their respective bodies on Thursday in order to finish up their work and adjourn sine die; the Latin term “without day” signaling that their work is completed and they will not be meeting again in the present session.
As is typical at this time of the session, the day was filled with a number of “hurry up and wait” moments, as lawmakers waited on their colleagues on the other side of the rotunda to complete debate on the remaining bills on the docket and send them back across the rotunda for consideration.
Most of the education-related matters were already dealt with before Thursday’s session. The following is a list of bills were approved on Thursday, and will now make their way to the Governor for his signature:
HB 603: Student Mobility. Provides an additional $1 million to mostly virtual charter schools to address their increased student population throughout the school year. Expect this issue to be rolled into public school funding formula study during the interim.
HB 627: Leadership Premiums. Increases the minimum amount an individual teacher may receive for a leadership premium to $900, but will not increase the amount of funding a local school district will receive. The full Senate also approved the measure.
HB 630: Career-Technical Teachers. Treats CTE occupational specialist certificates much the same way Master’s Degrees are treated. With approval of this legislation, districts will receive an additional $3,000 for each CTE teacher they employ who holds an occupational specialist certificate.
HB 629: Career Counseling. Assures the SDE will be able to fully distribute the $5 million in the FY 17 public schools budget to districts for their career counseling programs.
HB 647: Public Schools Appropriations Trailer Bill. Provides an additional $9.1 million to beef up the K-3 reading intervention programs and $100,000 to provide start-up funding for 10 innovation schools.
The following chart provides more details on all of the education-related legislation the IEA has been tracking this session.
| Bill Number | Sponsor | Description | Where Is It? | IEA Position |
| HB 379aaS | DeMordaunt | Computer Science: Requires the SDE to develop K-12 computer science standards, provides for professional development opportunities, and provides for distribution of grants to local schools. | Passed House (66-2-2); Passed Senate (34-0-1); LAW | Support |
| HB 380 | Moyle | Income Tax: Grocery Tax Credit: Reduces income tax for the highest income earners and increases the state grocery tax credit by $10/person | Passed House (53-16-1); Senate Local Gov and Taxation | Oppose |
| HB 420 | Nate | SBAC Opt Out: Directs Superintendent of Public Instruction to begin the process to remove Idaho from SBAC Consortium; in the meantime, allows students to opt out of the statewide test | Held in House Ways and Means | Oppose |
| HB 442
|
Kerby | Extra Day Contracts: Allows districts to use supplemental contracts to for all teachers who work extra days beyond the end of the standard teaching contract year. | Held in House Ed
(replaced with new bill) |
Oppose |
| HB 450 | SBE | Literacy: Updates Idaho’s literacy law, expands reading interventions for K-3 students performing at basic or below basic levels on reading indicator | Held in House Ed (replaced with new bill) | Support |
| HB 451
|
VanOrden | Parental Notification re: Literacy: Requires parental notification and involvement in development of an appropriate reading intervention for students performing at basic or below basic. | Held in House Ed (replaced with new bill) | Support |
| HB 452a | SBE | Sick Leave Transfer: Removes 90 day limit on transfer of sick leave an individual may take from one state agency to another or from one school district to another | Passed House (60-9-1); Passed Senate (30-4-1);
To Governor |
Support |
| HB 458a | Thayn | Advanced Opportunities: Consolidates and streamlines Idaho law pertaining to Advanced Opportunities and provides for a scholarship to eligible students | Passed House (67-0-3); Passed Senate (34-0-1); LAW | Support |
| HB 460 | SDE | Transportation Contracts: Allows local school districts to enter into transportation contracts with local providers | Held in House Ed
|
Neutral |
| HB 476 | Nye | Class Size Data: Allows for the use of average class sizes between districts of similar size for funding purposes | Passed House (68-0-2); Passed Senate (34-0-01); LAW | Support |
| HB 477a | Kerby | Student Scholarships: Provides college scholarships for students who earn high school dual credits | Passed House (66-4-0); Passed Senate (32-3-0); To Governor | Neutral |
| HB 493 | Perry | Public School Income Fund: Redirects 11.25% from fines and forfeitures remitted for motor vehicle violations from public school income fund to drug court and mental health court and family court services | Passed House (50-19-1); Held in Senate Jud and Rules | Neutral |
| HB 512 | Chaney | Community College Trustee Elections: Requires community college trustees to be representative of specific zones of the district | Passed House (66-0-4); Passed Senate (32-2-1);
To Governor |
Neutral |
| HB 514 | Horman | School Safety: Creates an Office of School Safety and Security within the Division of Building Safety. | Passed House (51-18-0); Passed Senate (28-6-1);
To Governor |
Support |
| HB 515 | Troy | Teacher Evaluation Dates: Moves the requirement for teacher evaluation completion from May 1 to June 1; requires that a formal written evaluation be completed prior to issuing a contract; and allows the local school board to use another objective measure, if ISAT data is not available within 30 days prior to June 1. | Passed House (63-4-3); Passed Senate (35-0-0);
To Governor |
Support |
| HB 526 | VanOrden | Parental Notification re: Literacy: Requires parental notification and involvement in development of an appropriate reading intervention for students performing at basic or below basic. | Passed House (66-2-6); Passed Senate (35-0-0); LAW | Support |
| HB 529 | SBE | Continuous Improvement Plans: Requires districts to include additional components in their continuous improvement plans that focus on student readiness. | Held in House Ed (replaced with new bill) |
Monitor |
| HB 537 | Kerby | Supplemental Contracts: Allows districts to use supplemental contracts to for all teachers who work extra days beyond the end of the standard teaching contract year. | Passed House (70-0-0); Passed Senate (35-0-0);
To Governor |
Support |
| HB 545 | Horman | Innovation Schools Act: Allows schools to explore innovative opportunities by circumventing existing laws for greater flexibility | Held in House Education (replaced with new bill) | Oppose |
| HB 560 | Harris | Continuous Improvement Plans: Requires districts to include additional components in their continuous improvement plans that focus on student readiness. (previously HB 529) | Passed House (63-6-1); Passed Senate (35-0-0);
To Governor |
Monitor |
| HB 570 | Horman | Innovation Schools Act: Allows schools to explore innovative opportunities by circumventing existing laws for greater flexibility | Passed House (55-13-2); Passed Senate (34-0-1); To Governor | Oppose |
| HB 571 | DeMordaunt | Career Ladder and evaluations: Moves Pupil Service Staff to the existing career ladder and shifts evaluation verification from the SDE to the SBE. | Passed House (64-4-2); Passed Senate (34-0-1); To Governor | Support |
| HB 590 | DeMourdaunt | Student mobility: Allows schools to receive salary-based apportionment based on mid-term support units, to account for student mobility | Held in House Ed (replaced with a new bill) | Neutral |
| HB 596 | VanOrden | College and Career Advising Funding: Clarifies how money is distributed to schools for counseling | Held in House Ed (replaced with a new bill) | Support |
| HB 603 | DeMordaunt | Student mobility: Allows schools to receive salary-based apportionment based on mid-term support units, up to 75% of the difference between full-term and mid-term support units | Passed House (63-4-3); Passed Senate (34-1-0); To Governor | Neutral |
| HB 617 | JFAC | Division of Administrators: This measure provides a 3% base salary increase for administrators | Passed House (62-6-2); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 618 | JFAC | Division of Teachers: This bill includes increases for the career ladder compensation system (funding in the career ladder also includes Pupil Services Staff). There is $5 million for academic and college and career advisors and student mentors (this law was approved last legislative session but was not funded), and $2.375 million additional funds for teacher professional development, specifically for mentoring programs | Passed House (64-4-2); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support
|
| HB 619 | JFAC | Division of Operations: This bill increases operational funding by $27.3 million. This increase will cover an estimated increase in student population resulting in 167 new support units (similar to new classrooms), provides an additional $5 million to local school district technology funding, and provides funding for districts to purchase and operation their instructional management systems. It also provides a 3% increase in funding for classified staff | Passed House (67-3-0); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 620 | JFAC | Division of Children’s Programs: This bill provides $1 million for the continued development of Mastery-Based education pilots and $1 million funds for districts to provide professional development for gifted and talented instructors | Passed House (67-3-0); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 621 | JFAC | Division of Facilities: . This portion of the budget addresses the line items directly related to ensuring for the upkeep of buildings and facilities such as the Bond Levy Equalization Program, Charter School Facilities Program, and School Facilities Maintenance Match Program | Passed House (64-3-3); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 622 | JFAC | Division of Educational Services for the Def and the Blind: This bill provides funding for Idaho’s School for the Deaf and Blind, which provides services to students who live on the Gooding, Idaho campus and also to students educated in Idaho traditional and charter public schools | Passed House (59-8-3); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 623 | JFAC | Division of Central Services: This portion of the public school budget identifies those services that the state provides on behalf of school districts through various contracts and vendors | Passed House (62-5-3); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 627 | VanOrden | Leadership Premiums: Increases the minimum premium award from $850 to $900, specifies new leadership duties with regards to CTE, new reporting requirements | Passed House (45-21-0); Passed Senate (27-8-0); To Governor | Oppose |
| HB 628 | SDE | Rural Education Support Centers: This legislation would create one education center to help districts with personnel sharing, cost sharing and flexibility in services | Passed House (44-26-0); Held in Senate Education | Support |
| HB 629 | VanOrden | College and Career Advisors: Clarifies how money is distributed to schools for counseling | Passed House (59-9-2); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 630 | VanOrden | Career Technical Education Allowance: $3000 would be allocated to districts for each CTE staff member holding an occupational specialist certificate in the area in which they are teaching | Passed House (68-0-2); Passed Senate (35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HB 647 | JFAC | Funding Trailer Bill: Provides trailer appropriations for career ladder evaluations, new literacy initiatives, and the Local Innovation Schools Act. | Passed House(64-1-5); Passed Senate(35-0-0); To Governor | Support |
| HCR 31 | McCrostie | Music In Our Schools: Proclaims March 2016 as Music In Our Schools Month | Adopted | Support |
| HCR 33 | Horman | School Funding Committee: Authorizes the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to study alternative school funding formula | Passed House (67-0-3);
Passed Senate (35-0-0) LAW |
Support |
| HCR 50 | Bateman | Civics test questions: Requests the SBE adopt a rule that at least 20% of the questions on the civics test will be Idaho specific | Passed House (66-4-0); Held in Senate Ed | Neutral |
| HJR 1 | Nate | Constitutional Amendment: Would amend Article IX, Section 5 of the Idaho Constitution to allow for the use of public funds for private and religious schools | Held in House State Affairs | Oppose |
| SB 1210 | SBE | Professional-Technical Education: Changes the name of Division of Professional-Technical Education to Career-Technical Education and brings Idaho into alignment with common nomenclature in reference to this education. | Passed Senate (32-1-2); Passed House (66-2-2);
LAW |
Neutral |
| SB 1248 | Nonini | Charter School Teacher Contracts: Allows charter schools to issue contracts of their choice other than the state-approved standard teacher contract. | Passed Senate (22-13-2);
Passed House (55-14-1); LAW |
Oppose |
| SB 1249 | Governor’s Office | STEM Action Center: Would provide reimbursement, upon request, for travel and necessary expenses for members of the Idaho STEM Action Center board of directors to attend meetings of the board | Passed Senate (35-0-0); Passed House (70-0-0); LAW | Neutral |
| SB 1266 | SDE | Leadership Premiums: Would increase the minimum leadership premium amount an individual teacher could earn from $850 to $900/annually | Passed Senate (26-8-1); Held in House Ed | Support |
| SB 1273 | Winder | School Board Vacancies: Would prohibit a school board member subject to recall, when a majority of school board members are subject to a recall, from resigning and allowing the remaining board members from appointing a new member to that board until such a time as the recall election is certified. | Held in Senate State Affairs | Neutral |
| SB 1289 | SDE | Career Counseling: Provides a more equitable funding distribution of funding for career and student counseling for elementary, middle/junior high, and high schools | Held in Senate Ed |
Support |
| SB 1290 | Patrick | College and Career Advising: Requires districts to establish plans to address college and career advising and submit annual reports to the SBE on methods used and goals achieved | Passed Senate (34-1-0); Passed House (65-3-2); LAW | Neutral |
| SB 1293a | Souza/Den Hartog | Parental Rights: Affirms that parents or guardians hold primary responsibility for the education of the student and defines the reasonable accommodations schools will offer to parents re: their children’s education. | Passed Senate (32-2-1); Passed House (66-1-3); LAW | Support |
| SB 1299 | Souza/Lakey | Sunshine Reports: Requires all state and local candidates and ballot measures to report campaign finances. | Returned to Senate State Affairs | Neutral |
| SB 1307 | Rice | School Board Election Dates: Moves school board elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years on the November, General Election, date | Held in Senate Ed | Neutral
|
| SB 1308 | Souza/Rice | School Trustee Zones: Requires school board trustees to be elected by the full school district electorate, and no longer by individual zones; however, trustees would still be required to live in a specific zone | Held in Senate Ed | Neutral |
| SB 1330 | Den Hartog | Medical Self-Management: Ensures students with Type 1 Diabetes have the right to medical self-management of their disease on school property or at school-related activities. | Passed Senate (34-0-1); Passed House (70-0-0);
To Governor |
Neutral |
| SB 1331 | Mortimer | Public Education Stabilization Fund: Provides a mechanism for the PESF to receive funds when the receipts of the General Fund exceed the receipts of the previous year by more than 4% | Held in Senate Ed | Monitoring |
| SB 1332 | Mortimer | Industry Partner Fund: Creates an Industry Partner Fund to be used by professional-technical colleges for skills-gap and training. Funding would come from industry partners | To Governor | Neutral |
| SB 1333 | Mortimer/Malek | Broadband Infrastructure Investment Grant Board (BIIGB): Creates the BIIGB and outlines the application process for local school districts to apply for grants to build broadband infrastructure. | Passed Senate (33-0-2); Passed House (63-7-0);
To Governor |
Neutral |
| SB 1334 | Mortimer/Malek | Education Opportunity Resource Committee. Provides broadband and related services to students; establishes an Education Opportunity Resource Committee in the SDE and outlines the duties of the committee. | Passed Senate (33-0-2); Passed House (69-0-1);
To Governor |
Neutral |
| SB 1335 | Nuxoll | Executive Session re: Real Property Purchases: Allows school board to utilize Executive Session to discuss the sale of real property | Held in Senate State Affairs | Neutral |
| SB 1336 | Patrick | Citizenship Test Alternative: Exempts special education students from the requirement that they pass the citizenship test in order to graduate unless their IEP requires successful completion of the test. | Passed Senate (34-0-1); Passed House (69-0-1); LAW | Support |
| SB 1337 | SBE | Charter School Replication: Amends Idaho Charter School law to ensure additional transparency regarding the management of these schools and streamlines the process for replicating high achieving charter schools. | Held in Senate Ed (replaced with new bill) | Neutral |
| SB 1342a | Nuxoll | Bible in Schools: Codifies the practice of using the Bible for reference in public schools | Passed Senate (31-3-1); Passed House )54-15-1); To Governor | Neutral |
| SB 1376 | SBE | Charter School Replication: Amends Idaho Charter School law to ensure additional transparency regarding the management of these schools and streamlines the process for replicating high achieving charter schools. | Passed Senate (33-1-1); Passed House (60-7-0);
To Governor |
Neutral |
| SCR 134 | Brad Little, Lt. Gov | 60% Postsecondary Degree/Certificate: Affirms the SBE goal of ensuring 60% of Idahoans aged 25-34 attain a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2020. | Passed Senate (33-0-2); Passed House (33-0-2); Adopted | Support |
