Idaho Bills
86 bills · 2025 Regular Session
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding parental rights in education.
This legislation amends Idaho's "Parental Rights in Education" to promote greater transparency for Idaho parents by requiring school districts to post supplemental educational materials, textbooks, and course syllabi online. The bill also requires public schools to adopt policies and procedures that prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade.
Dale Hawkins · HD-002B
Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding inappropriate online behavior by students and to prescribe a process for student discipline by the school district or public charter school.
This legislation creates a new section in Idaho Code, section 33-512E, to define what constitutes inappropriate online behavior by a student toward a public school employee or other person, and provides for corresponding disciplinary measures.
Jordan Redman · HD-003B
Repeals and adds to existing law to remove provisions relating to the Local Innovation School Act and to establish provisions regarding districts of innovation.
This legislation creates a new chapter which allows for Idaho public school districts to be designated as “districts of innovation.” With this designation, districts would be exempt from certain Idaho statutes, administrative rules, and State Board of Education policies, freeing up resources to pursue local priorities to meet ambitious student achievement goals. The legislation outlines district eligibility requirements, the process to receive authorization from the State Board of Education, requirements from which districts may request exemption, and the process of amendment and review of the local innovation plan. This is an important shift for our traditional public school districts, allowing them to pursue innovative local policies similar to the public charter school sector.
Jack Nelsen · HD-026B
Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding limitations on the authority of district trustees.
The intent of the legislation is to pilot a flexible process by which small school districts, specifically those with a fall student enrollment of 400 or less, could employ the spouse of one of their trustees with said trustee member remaining on the school board as it is often quite difficult in a small community to fill both board and staff vacancies with the current rules in place. It also allows the employee, if they are a teacher or pupil service staff, to be hired and maintain their contract status and would not require the district to post the position for sixty days every year before they can re-hire teacher, as small districts are struggling to attract and retain educators. It still ensures that board members will have to recuse themselves from any conversations about discipline, pay, or other issues. It includes a five-year sunset to ensure it works as intended, and would only apply to approximately 40 school districts. This provision would not apply to public charter schools, as their boards are not held directly accountable by electors.
Brandon Shippy · SD-009
66 – 0
Adds to existing law to establish provisions to ensure freedom of inquiry in higher education.
This legislation works to protect freedom of inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge in Idaho’s institutions of higher education by freeing students and faculty from compulsory ideological training. It prohibits DEI-based discrimination in admission and hiring, DEI-related employee incentives, DEI offices and officer positions, diversity training, and bias reporting systems. Students also may not be forced to enroll in a course designed and implemented with DEI principles unless their chosen course of study is based on these concepts. Institutions are held accountable via annual reporting to the Attorney General and legislature, along with a private cause of action for injunctive relief and/or penalties from the AG’s office for failure to comply. This will not affect centers and scholarships for American Indian students.
Ben Toews · SD-004
Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding a parent tech awareness program.
The Parent Tech Awareness Program aims to enhance parental knowledge and engagement in monitoring and protecting their children’s online activities on school administered technology as well as personal technological devices. Under this initiative, the Idaho State Department of Education will develop or contract an online educational program accessible to all Idaho public and private K-12 schools. This program will provide critical information on the dangers of online activity, including cyber threats, digital exploitation, and social media risks on school administered technology as well as personal technological devices. It will also equip parents and guardians with best practices and strategies to ensure children’s safe and responsible technology use. Each school district and charter school will be responsible for distributing program information and obtaining a signed acknowledgment from parents confirming their awareness of the available resources. This program will take effect on July 1, 2025 to address the growing concerns of digital safety for Idaho students.
Kevin Cook · SD-032
24 – 11
Amends existing law to transfer responsibility to the State Board of Education for distributing certain moneys to reimburse school districts for the cost of internet and certain other services.
H738 (2024) shifted the appropriation of broadband program funds from the Idaho Department of Education (IDE) to the State Board of Education. However, Section 33-5605(1), Idaho Code provides that the IDE shall distribute monies appropriated for broadband and related services. It is necessary to amend Section 33-5605, Idaho Code to ensure all relevant sections of code are in alignment.
Cindy Carlson · SD-007
65 – 0
Amends existing law to provide for a lifetime instructional certificate and a lifetime administrator certificate for certain teachers and administrators.
This legislation provides an option for an Idaho certified teacher or administrator to receive a lifetime certificate if that teacher or administrator accumulates at least twenty-five years of experience. The certificate would be issued at no expense to the teacher or administrator and would be valid for the duration of the teacher's/administrator's lifetime provided that there is no professional misconduct.
Lori Den Hartog · SD-022
62 – 5
Amends and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding a teacher apprenticeship program and to revise provisions regarding teacher certification.
Teacher apprenticeships were approved as an apprenticeship category by the U.S. Department of Labor in October 2021. Since then, Idaho has been developing policies and programs to support teacher apprenticeships as a teaching pathway. This bill provides additional clarification for the teacher apprenticeship pathway by providing definitions for mentor teachers and teaching apprentices, and defines that teacher apprenticeship programs should lead to both a bachelor's degree and a standard instructional certificate.
Carrie Semmelroth · SD-017
Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding prohibited acts in higher education.
This bill creates a standard definition for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology and a mechanism to recoup funds from an institution of higher education that violates any of the parameters outlined within the bill that prohibits offices, policies, and procedures that promote or require DEI ideology. The State Board of Education may recover funds used in violation of the teaching or requirement of DEI ideology, up to 5% of a program's operating budget. Furthermore, any institution that violates the sections of this Code shall pay $10,000 for the first violation, $25,000 for the second violation, and $50,000 for every violation thereafter. All funds recouped in violation shall be returned to the Legislature to be redistributed.
Jim Guthrie · SD-028
Amends and repeals existing law to transfer funds from the Empowering Parents Grant Program Fund to the General Fund and to repeal the Empowering Parents Grant Program.
This legislation repeals the Empowering Parents Grant Program as of June 30, 2025.
Camille Blaylock · SD-011
33 – 0