Legislative auditors will scrutinize school funding and disparities between districts.
The Office of Performance Evaluations was given the mandate Friday after a legislative committee approved the idea.
Sens. Dave Lent (R-Idaho Falls) and Janie Ward-Engelking (D-Boise) requested the study. They said they wanted OPE to follow up on previous research that highlighted gaps in paying for school facilities or ensuring confidential employee salaries.
“(We) would like to know more about other disparities in Idaho’s K-12 public school system,” Lent and Ward-Engelking said in a letter Wednesday requesting the study.
Senators said they want “apples to apples” comparisons between districts and studies that cover multiple topics.
- Resources available, from qualified teachers to support staff and facilities.
- Cost comparison and gap between urban and rural areas.
- School and student demographics, including special education needs, English language learner needs, and poverty levels.
- Funding gaps “based on the ability or inability to pass local levies.”
- These are policy recommendations that “guide lawmakers and education officials to make informed decisions” on funding and resource issues.
Lent and Ward-Engelking both serve on the budget-writing Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee and the Senate Education Committee. Borrowed Chair Senate Education.
The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee approved the study on Friday.
Bill to expand student telehealth access dies in committee
The Senate Education Committee narrowly rejected a bill Monday that would have allowed schools to provide technology and conference rooms for telehealth services on campus.
Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, said some schools are already allowing students to use resources for telehealth consultations. But other school officials are wary of a lack of liability protection in state law.
House Bill 684 would have codified optional parameters allowing students to participate in virtual advising from a private room on a school computer. It may also protect school districts from liability for injuries resulting from telehealth services.
“This bill has been a labor of love over the past year,” Healey told Senate Education.
The committee passed the bill 5-4, effectively killing it. The bill passed the House with a vote of 49 to 21.
Sen. Scott Herndon bristled at a provision that would prohibit telehealth providers from disclosing a student's personal medical information unless the disclosure would prevent a “serious and imminent threat” to the health and safety of the student or another person. This goes beyond the “mandatory reporting” standard in other areas of Idaho law that requires disclosure when a patient makes explicit threats against a specific victim, Herndon said.
“It’s no longer an explicit threat, and we’re expanding who can disclose medical records,” said Herndon, R-Sagle. “I don’t want to do this within the confines of a public school.”
Senate Minority Caucus Chairwoman Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, asked Herndon if he would be willing to amend the bill. But Herndon said the district has other concerns, including the cost of providing space and technology for telehealth appointments.
Healey told the committee the bill would not result in any additional costs. “It’s completely optional for schools, so we’re not asking them to put an additional burden on themselves,” she said.
Senate committee passes vaccination refusal bill
A bill that would allow adult students to refuse vaccinations is heading to the Senate.
House Bill 597 extends the opt-out policy to 12.Day-Grade students turning 18, adults attending public or private college or job training programs.
“The intent of this bill is to close the loophole and provide students, regardless of age, with the same right to opt out,” said Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, a co-sponsor of the bill.
The bill passed despite concerns from senators. Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, said the law was unnecessary because agency rules already provide adults with a choice. Melissa Wintrow of Boise questioned what impact HB 597 would have on college housing, which could require residents to get vaccinated. Zuiderveld said students who refuse to be vaccinated will end up choosing a different lifestyle.
In a party-line vote, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee sent HB 597 to the full Senate for a final vote. The House has already passed the bill.
Senate approves Holocaust resolution, state committees take stance
The Senate approved two education bills during its Monday morning session.
House of Representatives Concurrent Resolution No. 25 We encourage the Department for Education to develop “age-appropriate” curriculum, professional development and guidance to help schools effectively teach about the Holocaust. The resolution, which has no legal force, passed both legislative bodies unanimously. No approval from the governor is required.
House Bill 698 Addresses budget items for the State Board of Education, including a 2 percent performance-based raise for state board employees and funding for new positions, including college and career training coordinator, information technology business analyst, and safety and security analyst for higher education. . The budget proposal now goes to the governor.