Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide for digital curriculum block grants for school districts and public charter schools.

Over the last eight years the Idaho Legislature has appropriated nearly $200 million in technology funding to help local school districts and charter schools buy computers, wireless technology and network infrastructure. That technology is changing the way education is delivered in Idaho schools. The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee took the next step in that transformation by dedicating a part of the "Content and Curriculum" line item for distribution to local districts so they can buy digital content and curriculum. However, it is distributed based on a formula, which means that most Idaho districts receive less than $5,000. That's simply not enough to purchase and implement high-quality digital curriculum. This bill seeks to address that problem by changing the distribution of the line item from the current support-unit approach to a system of grants. Grants would be awarded to districts on a first-come, first-served basis, and would be limited to $50,000. Preference for the grants would be given to the districts with the most economically disadvantaged students and should be distributed around the state, thus assuring rural schools are given preference.

Adds to existing law to establish the Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program.

This bill establishes the Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program to provide loan repayment assistance, eligibility, award criteria and protocols in order to address the serious teacher shortage in Idaho as identified by the Idaho State Department of Education. Because attracting Certified Instructional and Pupil Service Staff to work in rural school districts and communities with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students is becoming increasingly difficult, this bill will provide additional incentive to keep qualified teachers in those communities.

Amends existing law to establish a technology services unit in the State Department of Education.

Both the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Department of Education were originally created when Idaho was granted statehood. In 1972, Section 125 of Title 33 Idaho Code established an executive agency of the State Board of Education, known as the State Department of Education and established duties for the department. Further, this section requires that the State Superintendent shall serve as the executive officer of such department and shall have the responsibility for carrying out policies, procedures and duties authorized by law or established by the state board of education for all elementary and secondary matters. Among these policies so authorized, the State Department of Education has responsibility for the reporting and tracking of K-12 related data. Procedurally this is carried out by the State Department of Education within its Technology Services Unit. This bill recognizes that technology services are an integral part of K-12 support to our school districts, charter schools, students, parents and teachers. The State Department of Education has the responsibility for services including the management of the Idaho System for Educational Excellence (ISEE) and broadband/e-rate support for schools and libraries.