EDUCATION – Amends and adds to existing law to provide for alternative authorization for administrators and to authorize the use of funds for related mentoring.
Idaho's H 711 creates an alternative pathway for school administrators to obtain temporary certification without traditional credentials. It establishes two routes: "grow your own" for experienced Idaho teachers (5+ years) and "executive leadership" for professionals from business/government/military (5+ years in leadership roles). The bill requires school districts to provide 70+ hours of structured mentoring over two years, using existing funds, and mandates competency assessments to address knowledge gaps. Successful completion leads to a standard administrator certificate, directly affecting school districts hiring principals/superintendents and career-changers entering education leadership.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Feb 16, 2026
Signed Apr 1, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Mar 26, 2026 · House Mar 2, 2026
How they voted
31–5
Passed
Total votes 36
Mar 26, 2026
D
Democratic6
83% Nay
R
Republican30
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
18
Key actions
7
Committee
3
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President; returned to House
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Received from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
upper
Mar 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time in full – PASSED - 30-5-0AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Woodward, Zito, ZuiderveldNAYS – Rabe, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Ward-Engelking, WintrowAbsent and excused – NoneFloor Sponsor - CarlsonTitle apvd - to House
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, read first time; referred to: Education
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 58-9-3AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Galaviz, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill(Brown), Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, McCann, Mendive, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Skaug, Tanner(13),
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Reported Printed and Referred to Education
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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