A new bill would let public school districts officially break the rules.
Rep. Jack Nelsen (R-Jerome) introduced House Bill 392, which would allow public school districts to be designated as “districts of innovation.” Qualifying districts would be exempt from certain Idaho statutes, administrative rules, and State Board of Education policies. Districts would need to create “local innovation” plans to qualify.
Meanwhile, Gov. Brad Little’s pen must be low on ink. He signed Senate Bill 1032, brought forward by Sen. Treg A. Bernt (R-Meridian), which will require Idaho public school districts to create distraction-free learning policies to limit the use of electronic communications devices such as cell phones. The legislation will require all districts to have a policy in place by Dec. 31, 2025.
He also signed Senate Bill 1092, which makes certified public school teachers and administrators eligible for a “lifetime certificate” after 25 years of service; Senate Bill 1069 which will offer professional development to reading educators who teach K-3; and Senate Bill 1044, which will require proficiency benchmarks for cursive handwriting.
Catching Up on Other Bills
Here are status updates for several of the bills we mentioned in last week’s IEA Reporter, as well as a few more that are new or back for amendments or hearings:
Behavior. House Bill 236, a bipartisan bill that would allow school boards to deny enrollment to pupils with severe behavior issues if they are being disenrolled in lieu of discipline or expulsion, passed the House and is still awaiting a vote in the Senate. The bill would also require parents and guardians to disclose if a student has been convicted of a severe crime.
Career ladder. Sen. Jim Woodward (R-Sagle) sponsored Senate Bill 1095, which would update career ladder compensation for Idaho educators. The proposed changes would permanently revise salary allocations for three professional tiers: residency, professional and advanced professional. The base level for each of those tiers would increase by $6,359. It is still awaiting a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee.
Educational materials. House Bill 351, sponsored by Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood) and Sen. Cindy Carlson (R-Riggins), would require districts to post supplemental educational materials, textbooks and course syllabi online. It has passed the House and is headed to the Senate Education Committee.
Empowering Parents. Senate Bill 1142, sponsored by voucher co-sponsor Sen. Lori Den Hartog (R-Meridian), would repeal the Empowering Parents program and return its $30 million in funding to the state general fund. Such a move could create the groundwork for expanding the voucher program Gov. Brad Little signed into law just two weeks ago. The bill has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Funding. House Bill 350, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Harris (R-Lewiston), would mandate that funds distributed by the state for school districts/charter schools be used specifically for the purpose it was given. If the funds are used for something else, the state would be reimbursed. The bill has been referred to the House Education Committee.
In addition, Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R-Shelley) introduced House Bill 291, which would create a $3 million fund to help address the budget gap in addressing costs for students with disabilities. The bill narrowly passed the House, 36-34, and has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Levies. Senate Bill 1094, sponsored by Sen. Ben Toews (R-Coeur d’Alene), would increase the maximum duration of levies from two years to six years. The bill passed the Senate and is awaiting a hearing in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Literacy. Senate Bill 1145, sponsored by Sen. Mark Harris (R-Soda Springs) and Rep. Lori McCann (R-Lewiston), would allow districts to use existing literacy intervention funds for an early literacy program for four- and five-year-olds. It failed on the Senate floor.
This week, Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls) introduced House Bill 383, which includes a four-part plan to increase reading proficiency: align Idaho law with science of reading standards, have districts select their own reading assessments, fund a “curated list of digital interventions” and establish interventions for the lowest-performing schools. It is awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Opt-in to sex education. House Bill 239, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls), would require parents and guardians to opt in to “all sexually explicit material.” It passed the House and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Education Committee.
Outcomes-based funding. Senate Bill 1147, sponsored by Sens. Dave Lent (R-Idaho Falls) and Kelly Anthon (R-Burley), would add an outcomes-based component to the public school funding formula. The bill would make $35 million available, but that money would be tied to math outcomes and attaining college and career readiness credentials. It passed the Senate 22-13 and now heads to the House.
Parent tech awareness program. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1070, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cook (R-Idaho Falls), to create a parent tech awareness program to combat “online threats.” It has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Parental rights. House Bill 352, co-sponsored by Rep. Dale Hawkins (R-Fernwood) and Sen. Cindy Carlson (R-Riggins), is being pitched as a parental rights bill. Among other provisions, HB 352 would allow parents to reject any activity or subject and withdraw their children from it. The bill would also prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. It passed the House and has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Ultrasounds in class. Senate Bill 1046, sponsored by Sen. Tammy Nichols (R-Middleton), would require educators to show “a high-definition ultrasound video” lasting at least three minutes to fifth- through 12th-graders studying contraception, sexually transmitted diseases or human biology. The bill passed the Senate and the House Education Committee; it now awaits a vote in the House.
Weighted funding formula. Senate Bill 1096, introduced by Sen. James Woodward (R-Sagle), would distribute more money for students who require more attention and funding, including gifted and talented students, special education students, students learning English, low-income students, and students who attend alternative school. The bill has been amended many times and is still awaiting debate on the Senate floor.
The Stragglers
IEA has been watching several other bills that have not made progress recently:
Bible reading in class. House Bill 162 would require all public school teachers to read a passage from the Bible to their classrooms every day “without instruction or comment.” The bill’s text includes “reasonable accommodations” for teachers and students who object. The U.S. Supreme Court barred public school-sponsored prayer and Bible reading in 1963. The bill has yet to be heard by the House Education Committee.
More cellphone bills. The House Education Committee heard a bill, House Bill 229, from Rep. Jaron Crane (R-Nampa) that would ban the use of “wireless electronic communication devices” during class time. The bill has yet to be taken up before the House Education Committee.
Rep. Wendy Horman (R-Idaho Falls) and Rep. Chris Mathias (D-Boise) proposed a “Mobile Device Policy Fund” addition to the Phone Free Learning Act, an executive order made by Governor Little that is already in place. The fund would issue grants of $1,500 to help districts create their own policies. House Bill 225 has been re-referred to the House Education Committee.
Education savings accounts. Senate Bill 1068, brought forward by former legislator Steven Thayn, would allow public schools, including charters, to offer education savings accounts for tutoring, supplies and other items. It is awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Guns in schools. House Bill 273, introduced by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle), would require educators to opt into an enhanced concealed weapon training course or a completed Police Officer Standards Training course; the training must include a refresher course once per year. Once trained, any school employee could carry a concealed weapon into the classroom. The bill would also require all K-12 schools to remove “Gun Free Zone” signs from their campuses. It is awaiting a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.
Priority access to public charter schools. If House Bill 163 passes, students whose parents are active-duty military will receive priority registration at the state’s public charter schools. The bill stalled before reaching the full House and has been sent back to the Education Committee.
Rural facilities school funding. Boise Education Association member Rep. Soñia Galaviz (D-Boise) and Rep. Rod Furniss (R-Rigby) co-sponsored House Bill 75, which would create a new fund to support public education facilities. The fund would draw $25 million from the public school facilities cooperative fund and $28 million from the public school health insurance participation fund. To access the funds, public schools could apply for a need-based grant to pay for school construction, remodeling and maintenance, with priority given to rural districts. The bill is still awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.
Ten Commandments. House Bill 238 would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments. It has been referred to the House Education Committee.
Union busting. House Bill 98 – a union-busting bill that only targets IEA – passed the House in February but is still waiting for a hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee.
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill that targets the Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho; if enacted, the legislation would severely limit Idaho fire fighters’ collective bargaining rights. PFFI, just like IEA, has been able to collectively bargain for more than 50 years. It is not clear if House Bill 340 will receive a hearing in the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, where it has been referred.
