The House Education Committee on Monday approved a new digital literacy high school graduation requirement along with most pending social studies standards.

One of state superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s priorities, the digital literacy class would incorporate computer science, internet safety and digital citizenship. It would go into effect for the graduating class of 2028, current ninth graders. 

Critchfield initially pitched replacing an existing speech class with the digital literacy class, which would have maintained the state’s 46-credit baseline. But that proposal drew public backlash, and the Senate Education Committee last month voted to keep speech while adding digital literacy. 

The House Education Committee’s Monday decision concurred with the Senate Education Committee’s previous decisions on graduation requirements and social studies standards.

The committees OK’d social studies standards in 10 of 12 subject areas, but they rejected proposed standards for fourth grade Idaho history and sixth through 12th grade U.S. history.

“The Senate took that action at the request of the Department of Education,” Greg Wilson, Critchfield’s chief of staff, said Monday. “We made that request in response to feedback from members across both of the education committees.”

Wilson said the department will review and revise the rejected standards and bring them back to the Legislature next year.

The standards and graduation requirements are nearing their final hurdle. The full House and full Senate have final approval.

Graduation requirements bill pulled off House floor

A bill that would give the Legislature control over high school graduation requirements has hit a snag, and might be dead for the year.

House Bill 298 would move the graduation requirements from Idaho Department of Education rule into state code — which would allow legislators to change the requirements through a bill.

The bill was on the House’s calendar Monday for a possible vote. But the sponsor, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, asked the House to send the bill back to the House Education Committee, which had endorsed the bill on Feb. 27.

Sending a bill back to committee does not necessarily kill it, but is often a signal that a bill will not move forward for the rest of the year.

New bill would create school ‘districts of innovation’

A trio of Republicans want to give public school districts “innovation” status, allowing them to resemble charter schools and exempting them from state reporting requirements. 

“Districts of innovation” would be free to “pursue local priorities to meet ambitious student achievement goals,” says the new bill’s statement of purpose. It’s sponsored by Reps. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome; Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint; and Dan Garner, R-Clifton. 

Nelsen told the House Education Committee Monday that public charter schools were designed to drive “innovation,” and the bill would allow traditional school districts to be similarly creative. 

“The driver on this isn’t the capitol building telling school districts locally what to do,” Nelsen said. “The driver is local school districts deciding what their kids need and setting out a program to do that.”

Eligible districts would have to adopt “local innovation plans” that identify changes leading to “better prepared students for life and work” and document support for the plan from educators, parents, school leaders and the community. 

The plans would also have to establish goals and performance targets, which could include reducing achievement gaps and increasing the rate of college enrollment, among other things. 

And districts could request exemption from state requirements, except for state curriculum and graduation requirements or open enrollment requirements. 

The State Board of Education would have the authority to approve or deny innovation plans. 

The House Education Committee voted to introduce the new bill, paving the way for a future public hearing. 

‘Use it or lose it’ spending flexibility bill heads to Senate

A bill designed to restore some school district funding flexibility is headed to the Senate floor.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously endorsed House Bill 305, which would reinstate a section of law commonly called “use it or lose it” authority.

Established during the Great Recession, this authority allows districts to fill 9.5% fewer teaching positions than the state funds. The idea behind the flexibility is to allow districts to move money into other needs, such as special education or teacher pay raises, and fund priorities without pursuing supplemental levies.

But nearly a decade ago, the Legislature amended the law to reduce this 9.5% flexibility — if a district’s student-teacher ratio exceeds state averages. Over the years, some districts have lost some or all of their spending flexibility.

Senate Education members agreed on the idea of restoring the 9.5% flexibility, the purpose of HB 305. But first, they discussed going further: giving school districts the complete spending flexibility charter schools now enjoy.

After some debate, the committee agreed on proceeding with HB 305, at least for this year. The House-passed bill now goes to the Senate floor.

Title IX governance bill heads to governor

The Senate swiftly passed a bill designed to tighten campus Title IX governance.

House Bill 141 doesn’t change the ways colleges and universities administer Title IX, a 1972 federal education law that bans discrimination based on sex. But it would require Title IX officers to report directly to college and university presidents.

With the Senate’s 34-0 vote, HB 141 now goes to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.

House rejects cardiac event awareness bill

The House rejected a bill that would have directed school districts to raise awareness about cardiac events among student athletes. 

Districts would have been required to disseminate information sheets on cardiac arrest symptoms to student athletes and their parents. House Bill 313 was sponsored by Reps. Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon, and Dori Healey, R-Boise.

“What we know about cardiac events is, if we recognize them, we can save these kids’ lives,” said Healey, a registered nurse. 

The bill also would have required coaches to complete a sudden cardiac arrest training course every other year, and would have allowed coaches to sideline players who show symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. 

Rep. Brent Crane, a high school basketball coach, argued that coaches shouldn’t be responsible for the health of their players — that’s the realm of medical professionals. 

“It’s not my job,” said Crane, R-Nampa. “This is a ‘feel good’ piece of legislation.”

The House voted 23-43 to defeat HB 313. 

Lifetime educator certificate heads to governor

A bill that would create lifetime educator certificates is heading to Gov. Brad Little’s desk. 

Teachers and administrators with at least 25 years’ experience would qualify for the certificate, which essentially would exempt them from re-certification training. 

On a 62-5 vote, the House approved Senate Bill 1092 Monday.