The controversial bill that would allow for the diversion of public funds to private and parochial schools will be heard in the House Education Committee Friday morning, with the meeting scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. As we have shared in previous editions of the Hotline, the Idaho Education Association, the Idaho School Boards Association, and the Idaho Association of School Administrators all oppose this legislation. Please join the three education stakeholder groups in telling members of the House Education Committee to VOTE NO on this bill that would be harmful to students, teachers, and public schools.
HB 590, the so-called “Guided Education Management” scholarship bill, makes erroneous assumptions that our public schools are not offering alternatives, flexibility, and strong educational opportunities. It also overlooks the fact that private schools are not accountable to the taxpayers and are able to pick and choose the students they prefer to admit, while public schools welcome every child and do their absolute best to serve and educate them. Click here for more information about the many reasons why private school vouchers are not in the best interests of Idaho students or communities. The bottom line is that public taxpayer funds should go to public schools, not private or religious schools.
If you are unable to attend Friday’s House Education Committee hearing on this important issue, you can listen to live streaming coverage via Idaho in Session.
Senate Education Committee to Hear Proposed Science Standards Thursday
Idaho’s much-debated science standards will be heard by the Senate Education Committee Thursday afternoon. Earlier in the legislative session, the House Education Committee passed a set of science standards that removed one of the proposed standards completely, along with supporting content for all standards. The standard and content in question relate to climate change and the impact of human consumption on the environment.
A committee of Idaho’s top science curriculum experts has been working on updated versions of the state’s science standards, which have not been completed revised since 2001. As we reported in a previous Hotline, the Senate Education Committee has the option to approve the full set of standards as put forth by the science standards team, including the sections removed by the House Education Committee, which would cause those standards to be adopted.
Click here to contact members of the Senate Education Committee. Click here to listen to live audio streaming of the Senate Education Committee hearing, which begins Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
