Blake Jones

Lawmakers traded verbal blows over what deserves to be called “science;” misinformation and mischaracterizations were spread; and though the mask mandate ban would apply to all government agencies, school mask mandates were in legislators’ crosshairs.

School districts, which use bonds to pay for new facilities, would effectively have to wait a year to try again if they miss the two-thirds voter support they need to get bonds passed.

INSIDE: Community college elections, substitute teacher qualifications and school levies could all see changes.

INSIDE: A new resolution decries “critical race theory” and “divisive content…appearing in school curriculum across the nation” that “seeks to disregard the history of the United States and the nation’s journey to becoming a pillar of freedom in the world.”

The move is aimed at helping districts and charter schools cover upfront costs of moving onto the state’s health insurance plan or negotiating their own plans with private providers.

The proposal would allow high-performing students greater flexibility in their education, said the bill’s sponsor Sen. Steven Thayn, R-Emmett.