The fast-moving Idaho Digital Learning Alliance overhaul bill hit a rumble strip Thursday afternoon.

After a hastily arranged and disjointed meeting, the Senate Education Committee put House Bill 940 on hold until Friday morning — in an attempt to give committee members time to read the bill and possible amendments.

HB 940 is a far-reaching policy bill, which would guide a 50% budget cut to IDLA. Among other things, the bill would require the statewide online class platform to eliminate its elementary programs, including its Launchpad early reading program; cut off state funding for driver’s education programs; and curtail IDLA “custom sections,” courses taken exclusively by students in a single district.

HB 940 is the fifth version of an IDLA policy bill to surface this session, and it raced through the House. A House committee printed the bill Tuesday, taking the unusual step of sending it straight to the House floor. The House passed it Wednesday.

Thursday marked the Senate’s first look at the IDLA bill — and it showed. Lawmakers struggled to figure out how the bill might be amended, and even Senate Education Chairman Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls, an HB 940 co-sponsor, said he’d seen only “some” of the amendments. They also struggled to understand how this policy bill would sync with a possible $13.5 million IDLA budget cut, which the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has already approved.

Even the logistics were stilted. The committee announced and posted an agenda for the unusual lunch-hour meeting with little advance notice. The committee also moved the meeting out of Senate Education’s normal meeting space, in a departure from normal protocol.

Once the meeting got underway, committee members discussed possible amendments in fits and starts. One amendment would tailor the “custom sections” language, in an attempt to provide more leeway to rural schools with small student enrollment. Another amendment would require IDLA to get legislative approval for any budget increase, tied to higher-than-expected enrollment. IDLA now gets any additional money from state budget reserves.

Committee members sparred on next steps.

Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, said it’s essential to pass a policymaking bill this session. Without it, she said, “We may end up with a JFAC appropriation and no direction.”

Several lawmakers said they felt rushed.

“Much as I would like to go home, I’m willing to stay here and do it right,” said Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle.

The committee gave itself a one-day grace period, voting to put the bill on hold.

Lent said he will schedule another meeting for 8:45 a.m. Friday, to take limited public testimony and allow the committee time to discuss the bill.

Budget committee approves high-needs funding

The budget-setting Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved funding for a high-needs special education program that cleared the Legislature earlier this week. 

On Tuesday, the House approved Senate Bill 1288, sending it to the governor’s desk. State superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s proposal creates a $5 million program that helps public schools fund specialized care for high-needs students. 

JFAC approved the funding on a 14-6 vote Thursday. The program shifts money from existing state funds that support driver’s education and career-readiness programs, making it budget-neutral. 

Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking said it’s a small step toward addressing a $100 million shortfall in special education funding. This is the difference between what school districts spend on special education and what they receive from the federal and state governments. 

“We have more work to do in this area,” said Ward-Engelking, D-Boise. “This is just a little baby step.”

Rep. Chris Bruce, R-Kuna, asked whether the funding would have to continue in future years. “It was told to us it would just be one-time funding,” Bruce said. 

Kellen McGurkin, an analyst for the Legislative Services Office, responded that it’s a one-time investment, but the state’s obligation under the federal government’s “Maintenance of Financial Support” rule could increase. MFS requires that states spend the same amount or more on special education year to year, or they forfeit federal funds at a comparable amount. 

But the $5 million high-needs funding could be offset by other changes in the state’s school funding formula in future years, McGurkin said. “If you assume everything else was held constant next year, the state would be obligated to allocate another $5 million or see its (federal) funds reduced by $5 million.”

Rep. James Petzke added that the funding is one time, but the need is ongoing. “We’re going to try to fix this one time this year with these dedicated funds, and we’ll look at another solution next year when that comes around,” said Petzke, R-Meridian. 

Bruce voted against the funding along with Reps. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Kyle Harris, R-Lewiston. Sens. Phil Hart, R-Kellogg; Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins; and Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, also opposed it. 

The appropriation bill now goes to either the full House or full Senate.

House rapidly passes sexual abuse investigations bill

In the span of one day, an end-of-session bill on school sexual abuse investigations cleared a House committee and unanimously passed the House.

But even supporters agree the bill could leave loopholes to fix later.

“We will continue to monitor this,” Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, a sponsor of Senate Bill 1412, told the House Education Committee Thursday morning. “This is a good step.”

SB 1412 would forbid schools from conducting an internal sexual abuse investigation in lieu of filing a legally mandated report with law enforcement. It also adds whistleblower protections for employees who report sexual misconduct or abuse.

But while House Education members hailed the bill, they noted some potential pitfalls.

Rep. Chris Mathias, D-Boise, wondered if a teacher could resign while on administrative leave, avoid an investigation, and leave for a new job. State superintendent Debbie Critchfield, a supporter of the bill, said the goal is to make sure schools report investigations, and avoid “passing around a problem situation.”

Several clauses are a direct response to sexual abuse complaints involving Gavin Snow, a special education assistant who worked at two Boise elementary schools. The Boise School District has agreed to $7 million in settlements to close several complaints involving Snow.

The father of one of Snow’s alleged victims spoke in favor of the bill Thursday morning. The father said he didn’t know about the complaints against Snow until Snow took his life in January 2025, dying by suicide as Boise police attempted to arrest him on child sexual abuse charges. “I was sitting on the couch when I saw it on the news,” said the father, who filed a tort claim against the Boise district in June.

When the House suspended its rules to quickly vote on the bill Thursday afternoon, House Education Chairman Dale Hawkins urged colleagues to listen to the archived audio of the committee meeting. Hawkins, R-Fernwood, said he was “appalled” to hear testimony of rampant abuse in schools.

The House passed the bill, 66-0, sending it to Gov. Brad Little. SB 1412 has already passed the Senate unanimously.

Senate passes bill easing administrator qualifications and three others

The Senate approved four education-related House bills Thursday, sending them to the governor’s desk. 

Administrator qualifications. After some debate, the Senate voted, 30-5, to approve a bill that creates an “alternative authorization program” for school administrators. 

Backed by state superintendent Debbie Critchfield, House Bill 711 allows educators, military officers, private sector executives, nonprofit leaders and government officials to become school superintendents and principals without state certification. 

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree, and they would have to complete a mentorship program after they’re hired. But they wouldn’t need a master’s degree, as currently required. 

Supporters argued that the alternative pathways would align traditional school district hiring practices with charter schools. 

“It’s the school boards that hire the superintendent,” said Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian. “It’s the elected officials who make that decision. They’re the ones determining who’s the right school leader.”

Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, who opposed the bill, said it misidentifies the source of Idaho’s shortage of school administrators, and it removes a requirement that administrators have instructional experience, “arguably one of the most important and fundamental requirements for being a good superintendent.”

“We don’t have a recruitment problem, we have a retention problem of our superintendents in Idaho,” said Ward-Engelking, D-Boise. “Instead of focusing on retention, we are continuing to lower the bar for recruitment.”

CTE educator minimum hours. The Senate unanimously approved a bill eliminating minimum professional hours for career technical educators. House Bill 832 would allow the Division of Career Technical Education to set hours based on differing professional fields. 

‘Harmful’ material cleanup. Also on a unanimous vote, the Senate approved House Bill 795, the less controversial of two bills amending the state’s “harmful” material library law. The bill removes “unnecessary, duplicative language,” said sponsoring Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins. 

The other bill updating the library law, House Bill 819, was on the House floor, but it was pulled back to committee this week. 

In-person instruction on election day. The Senate also passed House Bill 831, which prohibits in-person instruction in school buildings used as polling locations on election days. It passed on a 30-4 vote. 

House passes bills on veterinary education, school staff definitions

Two more education-related bills cleared the House, as the chamber inched toward adjournment. 

Veterinary education. The House passed a bill that veterinary students receiving a state tuition subsidy must work in Idaho for four years. They would also have to devote 600 hours to treating agriculture animals. 

Senate Bill 1335 passed on a 54-16 vote. 

School staff definitions. The House also unanimously concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 728. The legislation updates definitions of school administrators and support staff for the purposes of state funding. 

Parental rights. The House unanimously gave final approval to House Bill 860 — a rewrite of a 2024 parental rights bill on child medical care. The bill clarifies that schools and other entities can provide nonemergency care, such as Band-Aids, to minors. It also clarifies minors’ access to the state suicide prevention hotline.