Education

This bill appropriates state funds for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy for the 2027 fiscal year, directly affecting public school districts and charter schools in Idaho. The legislation sets a maximum tuition rate of $40 per student enrollment and mandates that the academy provide remedial coursework for students who are not proficient in state standards. Additionally, the bill requires the academy to offer advanced learning opportunities, such as dual credit courses, in accordance with state education rules. The law becomes effective on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the Governor.

This bill updates Idaho's rules for counting student enrollment numbers, which directly affects school districts, public charter schools, and the state Board of Education. It establishes specific guidelines for calculating full-time enrollment, including limits on how many students can be counted based on their attendance patterns, such as restricting students with 11 or more consecutive unexcused absences from being counted on official enrollment dates. The law also sets clear rules for counting kindergarten students at half enrollment and summer or night school students at one-quarter enrollment, while requiring schools to conduct official enrollment counts on specific dates throughout the school year. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, and aim to standardize how student enrollment data is collected and reported across the state.

This bill is a joint memorial from the Idaho Legislature expressing support for federal efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. It states that education is a state responsibility under the Tenth Amendment and argues that the Department has created burdensome regulations without adequate funding. The document urges the U.S. Congress to cooperate with eliminating the Department and directs officials to send this message to federal leaders and Idaho's congressional delegation.

This bill allocates $356,300 in funding to Idaho's Division of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind for the 2027 fiscal year. The money comes from two sources: $335,900 transferred from the General Fund to the Public School Income Fund, and $20,400 from the School for the Deaf and the Blind Endowment Fund. The legislation clarifies the original funding sources for these expenditures and declares an emergency to make the funding effective starting July 1, 2026.

This bill appropriates approximately $3.1 billion in state and federal funds to Idaho's Public Schools Educational Support Program for fiscal year 2027, covering teacher salaries, student support services, facilities, and special education programs. It directs specific uses for the money, including professional development for educators, additional compensation for instructional staff, technology infrastructure purchases, and targeted funding for English language learners and students with disabilities. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements for how districts allocate funds and clarifies the original funding sources for these expenditures.

This bill amends Idaho state law to revise the structure and operations of the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, a public school-choice program that provides online education options for students. It establishes a new nine-member board of directors to oversee the academy, including representatives from the state superintendent, school districts, citizen members with business experience, and legislative members, with terms beginning July 1, 2026. The legislation also updates provisions related to the academy's budget, funding mechanisms for distance students, and defines the board's duties such as ensuring compliance with state education rules and hiring certified teachers. Additionally, the bill makes technical corrections to existing code sections and repeals an outdated funding provision while declaring an emergency to allow immediate implementation.

This bill restructures the Idaho Digital Learning Academy by updating its legal framework and establishing a new nine-member board of directors to oversee operations. The board will include school superintendents, a school principal, two citizen members, the state superintendent, and two legislators, with members serving staggered three-year terms. The academy will function as a public school-choice option offering courses like credit recovery and dual credit, particularly for students in small or rural districts, while remaining separate from existing state government departments. The legislation also clarifies funding provisions and defines the academy's role as a resource to supplement, not replace, local school district programs.

This bill allocates $1,368,700 in state funding to Idaho's four community colleges for fiscal year 2027, with specific amounts designated for personnel and operating expenses at each institution. The legislation also reduces the total appropriation by $245,500 from the previous year's funding levels across the same colleges. The funds are distributed through the State Board of Education's General Fund and become effective on July 1, 2026.

This bill requires public schools in Idaho to provide daily outdoor recess for students in kindergarten through grade 5, with each session lasting at least 20 minutes when weather and scheduling allow. The legislation also encourages schools to offer unstructured activity breaks for middle school students in grades 6 through 8. If outdoor recess is not possible due to weather, schools must provide indoor alternatives such as in a gymnasium. The bill prohibits withholding recess as punishment unless the disciplinary issue occurred during the recess period itself.

This bill allocates $4,998,400 to Idaho's Office of the State Board of Education for fiscal year 2027, funding administrative operations through a combination of general fund and federal grant money. It simultaneously reduces the office's general fund appropriation by $510,500 and cuts four full-time equivalent positions from the office's authorized staffing level. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the Governor.